With only a month until the federal election, peak horticulture body Growcom today called for the major parties to outline their agricultural policies. Chief Executive Officer Alex Livingstone said it was pleasing to see that in recent weeks both major parties had “made the right noises” in accepting the need for a ‘sustainable Australia’ rather than just a ‘big Australia’, whichever side of the population debate they are on. “The Minister for Agriculture and for... ...Read more »

Peak horticulture organisation Growcom today suggested that the best use for the proposed ‘green wedges’ program, creating green barriers to limit urban sprawl, is not parkland but food production. Premier Anna Bligh last week announced a plan to transform cane-fields and other land in south-east Queensland into ‘green wedges’ designed to avoid inter-city urban sprawl. “It is disquieting to hear the government talk about the need for green wedges, quote, ‘so that families... ...Read more »

Peak horticulture body Growcom welcomed confirmation by the Federal Agriculture Minister Tony Burke at the Rural Press Club’s Post-Budget breakfast of some progress on national biosecurity reform and of a fresh approach to national drought policy. Growcom Chairman John Bishop said he welcomed the Minister’s commitment to the continuation of reforms to national biosecurity policy and the announcement of an additional $20 million in the budget to enhance biosecurity operations within AQIS. Mr... ...Read more »

Horticulture organisation Growcom has again called for a national food security policy in light of the release of the 2010 Intergenerational Report, which predicts an increase in Australia’s population to more than 36 million by 2050. Chief Executive Officer Alex Livingstone said that the Government’s response to problems outlined in the report had ignored a key requirement – that a larger population will need to be fed. “There is no national plan in place to guarantee that... ...Read more »

A greater focus on food security in Australia from both sides of politics has been welcomed by Australia’s leading organisation representing food and grocery manufacturing, the Australian Food and Grocery Council (AFGC), but they are hoping it will be more than just a token gesture. The Federal Government has acknowledged the Coalition’s addition of food security to Shadow Agriculture Minister John Cobb’s portfolio, with the Government highlighting the important synergy between... ...Read more »

Horticulture body Growcom entered the simmering debate about rising Australian grocery prices today, arguing that families who wished to reduce their food bills should switch to a greater consumption of fruit and vegetables in their diet and questioning the pricing mechanisms used by retailers. Chief Advocate Rachel Mackenzie said that Australian Bureau of Statistics’ Cost Price Index figures had shown that in the September quarter 2009 prices had fallen in the quarter by 5.6 per cent for vegetables... ...Read more »

Horticulture industry body Growcom has today urged the introduction of a national food security forum to be attended by representatives of all levels of government in order to put together a plan for increased food security in light of recent dire predictions of future food demands in Australia and overseas. Chief Executive Officer Alex Livingstone noted that the United Nations was planning a world summit on food security in November because of disturbing predictions for global food requirements... ...Read more »

A Federal Government decision to allow bananas to be imported from the Philippines has been met with great concern by growers and the Queensland Government, while a leading supermarket chain has announced they will endeavour to avoid the imported bananas. With the bulk of banana production in Queensland, the state would be the hardest hit by Biosecurity Australia’s final decision to allow bananas to be imported from the Philippines, according to peak horticulture organisation Growcom. Chief... ...Read more »

Peak horticulture organisation Growcom remains alarmed that Biosecurity Australia has agreed to allow bananas to be imported from the Philippines due to their concern of a risk of diseases such as Moko, Black Sigatoka and Freckle to the Australian banana industry. Chief Advocate Mark Panitz said that he was not confident that the Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS) could adequately protect the industry under the terms required by the Import Risk Aanalysis (IRA) due to the nature of these... ...Read more »

As the world struggles with escalating wheat, rice and dairy costs it now appears Australian fresh fruit and vegetable prices are set to rise as well. Chief Executive Officer of Growcom, Jan Davis, claims that fertiliser and chemical prices now comprise between 11 per cent and 14 per cent of total farm input costs with the recent dramatic increase in prices blamed on a lack of fertiliser suppliers. “Growers are concerned that limited competition in the fertiliser supply industry is creating... ...Read more »