AUSVEG the industry representative body for Australian vegetable and potato growers has been organising trips for groups of Australian vegetable growers to attend Berlin Fruit Logistica since 2011 and this year is no exception.
"Each group that has attended the Logistica has found the experience highly beneficial, as it provides a valuable opportunity to see the latest technologies, innovations and trends in the global horticulture industry." explains Shaun Lindhe, National Manager, Communications at AusVeg. "The participants are also required to share the information with local growers back in Australia to ensure that the lessons and insights learned from the participants are shared with the broader industry."
The group’s attendance at Berlin Fruit Logistica is part of a broader industry leadership and development mission that will allow nine vegetable growers to visit leading growers and agribusinesses across Germany, the Netherlands and Spain. The mission is designed to provide Australian vegetable growers with a global perspective of the vegetable and broader horticulture industry so they can learn from their international counterparts and implement new ideas on their farms back home.
This mission is part-funded by Hort Innovation, which is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.
"This is a study mission that allow participants to gain a global perspective on the horticulture industry to learn more about the latest production practices and innovative technology being used around the world and consider how these could be translated into the Australian industry. We also hope to increase their understanding of the issues facing growers overseas and how they’re tackling them, which can help local growers better analyse their production challenges and consider new approaches. We would like to build and strengthen relationships within the vegetable industry – both with fellow delegates and with international industry members who will have new ways of looking at problems."
"Delegates on the 2019 European Industry Leadership and Development Mission will visit protected cropping regions in the Netherlands and Spain to learn about how growers in these regions use hi-tech and low-tech greenhouses and structures to grow their crops, as well as other innovations, technologies and challenges that assist/impede growing a high quality crop," said Shaun.
"The European vegetable industry also has more developed value-add and pre-packed vegetable products that are available to consumers – this is increasing in the Australian market and lessons learned from European producers and companies at Berlin Fruit Logistica and through the rest of the mission will be valuable to the participating growers."
For more information:
Shaun Linhe
AusVeg
Tel: +61 3 9882 0277
Email: Shaun.Lindhe@ausveg.com.au