Life Sciences Commons^™

Production And Marketing Of Vegetables And Fruit, John Burt

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Vegetable and fruit production in Western Australia is a diverse, high value industry. Up to 75 different crops are grown from Kununurra in the north to Albany on the south coast.

Our horticultural industries were worth $238,127,000 in 1990-.91, which represented 18 per cent of all crops produced in Western Australia.

Markets for horticultural produce are volatile. For most lines, produce has been well supplied for the past four years, owing to an increasing area of production, higher yields, improved postharvest technology and reduced consumer demand in the recent recession.

A Tale Of Two Ladies : Pink Lady And Sundowner, John Cripps, Eleanor Melvin-Carter

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

It is five years since the first Western Australianbred Pink Lady and Sundowner apples were sold on the local market. In that time, these crisp, sweet flavoursome apples have become top-selling, premium fruit.

The story is no different overseas. Trial shipments to London, Taiwan and Singapore have indicated a big demand for the unique Pink Lady apple - far more than Western Australia can presently supply.

One million fruiting Pink Lady apple trees are needed to meet anticipated export sales. Today, there are only 100,000 trees in the ground, of which about half are bearing fruit.

New high quality apple …

The Potential For Avocados In Western Australia, Michael Gregory Hawson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

"The flesh of the ripe fruit is ivory yellow, framed in a surround of exquisite green"

There is only one fruit to which this comment can apply and that is the avocado.

While now regarded as a luxury, avocados have met ready demand on major markets indicating that limited expansion of avocado growing in Victoria, South Australia and Western Australiacouldmprovide quite profitable returns.

Stonefruits Have A Future, Geoffrey L. Godley

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Over the 10 year period from 1966/67 to 1975/76, stonefruit production has not greatly expanded. The area planted has declined and the number of young, non-bearing trees also has declined.

Trends in the price ofsdtonefriut for the past decsde have revealed no real improvement on local or export markets but it is unlikely that these trends will continue. While costs will continue to rise, profitability of stonefruit is likely to be helped by cost saving techniques. Mechanical equipment changes and changes to management techniques will mean reduced management costs.

Future Trends In Apple And Pear Production, Frank Melville

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Review of a recent survey of apple and pear plantings in Western Australia.

SINCE the early 1950's the area of apples in Western Australia has continually increased and this has been accompanied by an equally important change in variety emphasis.

On a lesser scale the position has been much the same with pears.