The Australian vegetable industry today has endorsed calls from SPC Ardmona Managing Director Peter Kelly for Emergency Safeguard action to be put in place out of concerns for the damage and injury being caused to the local horticultural industry. Emergency Safeguard actions which are permitted under the World Trade Organisation rules would impose an emergency tax on cheap imported foods where domestic industries are suffering injury. Read More »

Australian Perlite has recently acquired the exclusive rights to manufacture and trade vermiculite ore from Brasil Minerios in Brazil. The mine at Brasil Minerios is the largest working deposit in the world and boasts the most modern processing facilities. Unlike other deposits around the world where vermiculite is a byproduct of copper mining, the Brasil Minerios mine is dedicated solely to producing vermiculite.  Read More »

The relentless onslaught of cheap imported produce onto the Australian market has shown no signs of abating, with a new report from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) indicating that processed fruit and vegetables contributed the majority of food imports between 2010 and 2012, a figure of around 15%. Read More »

Horti ASIA 2013, an international tradeshow for horticultural and floricultural production and processing technologies, will be held at Bangkok International Trade & Exhibition Centre, Bangkok, Thailand, between 9-11 May. More info http://www.hortiasia.net/

Protected Cropping Australia (PCA) is calling for nominations for industry awards to be presented at the national industry conference, to be held at the Pullman Melbourne, Albert Park, Victoria, from Sunday 28 to Wednesday 31 July 2013.

Every 2 years, Protected Cropping Australia offers awards to recognise and celebrate outstanding industry achievement and excellence. Award categories are: Most Outstanding Contribution, Researcher of the Year, Young Achiever of the Year, 2013 Best New Product and Industry Training Award.

Nominations are accepted from all sectors of the Australian protected cropping industry and are judged by the PCA Board. Download Awards For Excellence Nomination Form 2013.

Raspberry is grown in many parts of the world with annual production estimated at 411,000 tonnes. A temperature sensitive fruit, most are produced in the cooler countries of Europe. However, raspberry production is increasing in warmer climates with year-round production in greenhouses. By JOHN WHITE
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Organisers of the 12th biennial Protected Cropping Australia (PCA) Conference and Trade Exhibition have announced the speakers who will focus on ‘Leafy Greens’. Read More »