Australia's date growers are convinced of the export potential of their product, but are struggling to reach high production volumes. To improve techniques, growers want to set up an association to share knowledge, for marketing and to receive government funding for more research.
There is the Yellow Barhi date, a special variety known for its unique trait that it can be eaten in the khalal stage; fresh and crunchy.
Date grower Steve Brauer set his main focus on this special variety at the family-owned farm, Riverland Date Garden in South Australia, and said there was huge potential for exports, as Australia was producing the fruit in the off-season of the Northern Hemisphere.
"There are only two commercial growers in Australia, I know of, that are exporting. If I had to describe the taste of the Bahri date, it's like nashi pear; sweet and you just keep chewing the fruit and the sweetness comes out.”
As Australia's date industry is still an emerging industry there is no registry of production volumes and producers, and therefore growers want to establish a representative body to share knowledge and public funding for more research.
Brauer said setting up an association was not just about exchanging knowledge but also setting up a marketing arm. Apart from the Barhi dates, various other varieties including the Bajool, Brown Barhi, Deglet Noor, Thoory, Khadrawy, Zahidis, and the Bou Fergus are grown in Australia.
Source: abc.net.au
