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A shiny new blue nut harvester moves through the rows of vines at Robert Kennedy's Irymple estate in northwest Victoria.
Key points:In 2022, the dried fruit industry struggled to harvest its entire crop due to a lack of used machineryAt least nine new harvesters were ordered by dried fruit growers
But securing this essential equipment has not been easy and has meant a return to local manufacturing for the first time in over a decade.
After significant challenges in 2022, the Dried Fruits Australia's innovation committee realized that growers had no way of buying the specialist harvesting equipment.
"There was a delay in harvesting, there was no didn't have enough equipment to pick those later varieties," said Ashley Johnstone, chair of DFA's innovation committee.
And that affected the bottom line for growers.
"Some grape growers had fruit that was left on the vine, or if it was picked, it was very, very wet and poor quality,” he said.
A long-time dried fruit subcontractor has left the industry, leaving some growers, including Mr. Kennedy, to weigh their options.
The innovation committee therefore realized that they would have to develop their own machine to ensure that the dried fruit industry could harvest during the critical harvest window.

Agrotech Apr 11, 2023 0 55 Add to Reading List

Security fix in progress

A shiny new blue nut harvester moves through the rows of vines at Robert Kennedy's Irymple estate in northwest Victoria.

Key points:In 2022, the dried fruit industry struggled to harvest its entire crop due to a lack of used machineryAt least nine new harvesters were ordered by dried fruit growers

But securing this essential equipment has not been easy and has meant a return to local manufacturing for the first time in over a decade.

After significant challenges in 2022, the Dried Fruits Australia's innovation committee realized that growers had no way of buying the specialist harvesting equipment.

"There was a delay in harvesting, there was no didn't have enough equipment to pick those later varieties," said Ashley Johnstone, chair of DFA's innovation committee.

And that affected the bottom line for growers.

"Some grape growers had fruit that was left on the vine, or if it was picked, it was very, very wet and poor quality,” he said.

A long-time dried fruit subcontractor has left the industry, leaving some growers, including Mr. Kennedy, to weigh their options.

The innovation committee therefore realized that they would have to develop their own machine to ensure that the dried fruit industry could harvest during the critical harvest window.