Australian Walnut Industry
Association
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2005 AUSTRALIAN HORTICULTURAL YEARBOOKAUSTRALIAN WALNUT INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONAssociation Activities in 2004. A further major development of the Australian walnut industry was the first stage in the development of a new walnut orchard in Griffith, NSW by Webster Ltd. on behalf of a private investor. This project is to be further developed over the next 4 years, up to an area of 900 ha. The first 250 ha were planted during the 2004 winter. Currently members of the Association have advised of walnut tree numbers totalling over 300,000 trees. Over 2/3 of the trees are still too young to have commercial crops. Total production is estimated at about 400 tonnes. The Association’s yearly weekend seminar was held at Barmera, in South Australia, in March. Because of the great success of the weekend, it is planned that in the future these yearly get-togethers will be held in various walnut growing districts. The start of the 2004/05 financial year saw the introduction of the Walnut Industry Voluntary Levy. There was a reasonably good co-operation by membership and within 2 years there should be enough funds available for the start of a new research project relevant for our industry. In September several members attended
the Australian Nut Industry Council’s Biennial Conference in In November a group of members undertook a study tour of the French walnut industry. As a follow-up, they travelled to Sorrento in Italy, where they joined other Association members to attend the 5th International Walnut Symposium. In all some 20 of our members were present. At the closing stages of the Symposium a decision was to be made on the venue of the next Symposium, to be held in 2009. Leigh Titmus, Association president, supported by two other members, presented a strong bid for Australia and our bid was successful! Having this international walnut conference for the first time in Australia will result in great benefits not only to our research, but also to the walnut industry as a whole. Later in November, the Annual General
Meeting re-appointed the Executive for the following 12 month and discussed
plans for 2005. The executive
consists of Leigh Titmus, president, Marta Chiba and Norman Wilkinson, vice presidents, Dr John Kenez, secretary, Dennis Ting,
treasurer and Marilla James, membership secretary. In addition, the Executive
Committee has a further six elected members. Planned Activities for 2005. In 2005 the Association already staged the yearly Weekend Farm Walk and Seminar, this time at Lakes Entrance, with an all day tour to inspect established walnut plantations at Dargo and Lakes Entrance. The weekend was a great success with 56 members attending. At the end of February AWIA held a one-week Walnut Management Course, for members and others interested in walnut growing, at the Tatura Research Centre, DPI, Victoria. It is expected that this year’s local production will exceed 400 t and it will be necessary to increase demand by making consumers more aware of the health advantages of walnuts, their versatility as a snack food and as ingredients in a variety of dishes. To increase consumer awareness, as follow up to the 2005 walnut harvest, a market promotion campaign will be undertaken in early May. In early 2005, a website has been developed with the generous support of a few AWIA members (http://www.walnut.net.au). The role of the website is to provide initial information on all aspects of the industry, including information relating to the 2009 International Walnut Symposium, orchard establishment and management, harvesting, handling and marketing of walnuts and walnuts recipes. The year will also see the start of a vigorous campaign in setting up the framework for organizing the 6th International Symposium in 2009. For contact refer to the website (above), or to the secretary: Dr. John Kenez, 5 Rolls court, Glen Waverley, 3215, ph: 03 9802 5670. |
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