Author: Amy Spear

By Tony Pattison  The Fusarium wilt Tropical Race 4 Research Program (BA14014) is investigating mid and long term strategies to manage Fusarium wilt (Panama disease) through improved banana cultivars, development of resilient production systems and developing better tools for on-farm biosecurity. The development of banana cultivars with improved resistance to TR4 is…

Nestled among rolling green hills, ocean views and million dollar homes is a patch of bananas that could hold the future of the Australian subtropical industry. The NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Duranbah trial site in northern New South Wales is one of a number around the country currently trialling…

In research labs and trial sites around the world, the search for a commercially viable banana variety resistant to Panama TR4 edges closer every day.  As a variety screening trial for TR4 resistance in the Northern Territory draws to a close, the latest results from the program have been promising, including…

Australia is very close to declaring itself rid of Banana Freckle. Amy Spear reports Locally grown Cavendish bananas are starting to arrive back on Northern Territory supermarket shelves. The Top End industry was brought to a standstill in 2013 following the detection of Banana Freckle, a disease caused by the…

Consumer demand for convenient, healthy and easy to prepare foods continues to propel the frozen fruit and vegetable market across the world.  For one of the country’s leading agricultural producers—which has spent almost a decade researching and developing their own frozen fruit line—hard work and persistence is paying off.  By Sonia Campbell …

The latest Nielsen research shows Aussies are still bananas for their favourite fruit.  Associate director of Analytics at Nielsen, Chanel Day reports. Bananas are nature’s non-stop energy snack, and despite higher prices shoppers are still enjoying their sweetness. Since January last year, prices across many fruits have increased,…

Two Australian banana farms have been recognised on a national stage for outstanding biosecurity practices, proving size is no barrier to best practice. Mackay Farming Group (QLD), Australia’s largest banana producer, and Rum Jungle Organics (NT), who farm 2.5 hectares of the fruit, have each received a Farm Biosecurity Producer of the…