AUSVEG SA is the state-wide representative body for South Australian vegetable growers, and it facilitates the VegNET – South Australia project, which supports the continuation of extension services, and provides an important link between growers and levy-funded R&D. It also allows AUSVEG SA to better support the industry by applying research findings to real-life situations. VegNET – South Australia Regional Development Officer Yanyu Liang provides a project update.

Vegetables are the largest sub-sector within horticulture in South Australia, valued at around $700 million in farmgate and $2 billion total value per annum. The VegNET – South Australia team is continuing to support growers across the state, ensuring they remain sustainable and profitable.

In recent months, we teamed up with TriCal Australia and the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) to conduct soil fumigation trials that focused on the suppression of beet cyst nematode in cabbage and brassica crops on the Northern Adelaide Plains. The trials produced strong suppression results, showing how the application of targeted fumigation as a successful tool in managing the rise of beet cyst nematode – a pest that is causing in excess of $2 million in crop damage across the state each season.

Serpentine leafminer updates

VegNET – South Australia and AUSVEG SA remain engage in discussions with Biosecurity SA on the emerging serpentine leafminer issue. We want to ensure the ongoing protection of our key industries. Additionally, we are liaising with members of the project team who worked on The strategic levy investment project RD&E program for control, eradication and preparedness for Vegetable Leafminer (MT16004).

Labour shortages

Labour has been a key focus early into the new year. We continue to engage with our stakeholders on this issue and have collected regional data sets to better ascertain the problems in our key production regions. This further expands on the Hort Innovation-funded Ernst & Young report released late last year that estimated labour shortages and demand on a national level.

Upcoming R&D events

VegNET SA is working with AUSVEG SA to develop a program for the first-ever South Australian Hort Conference, which will be held in May. As part of this event, there will be a number of R&D speakers planned as a development and learning opportunity for South Australian growers.

The conference will be held at the SA Produce Market and will feature speakers including a representative from Nielsen Research who will discuss the Harvest to Home project, as well as production-related speakers, and a grower showcase where growers can display new products with chefs and retailer stakeholders.

In the first quarter of 2021, VegNET SA is planning a number of other workshops on topics such as waste management and biosecurity.

VegNET SA will continue to work towards advancing the industry in 2021, and looks forward to working with growers to deliver results throughout the upcoming season.

Find out more

Please contact AUSVEG SA CEO Jordan Brooke-Barnett on 0404 772 308 or at jordan.brooke-barnett@ausveg.com.au or VegNET – South Australia RDO Yanyu Liang on 0432 742 896 or at yanyu.liang@ausveg.com.au.

Regional capacity building to grow vegetable businesses – South Australia is a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Vegetable Fund.

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation using the vegetable research and development levy and contributions from the Australian Government.

Project Number: VG19015

VegNET – South Australia Regional Development Officer Yanyu Liang.