Adelaide tech Availer raises funds for blockchain technology to help Queensland mango growers

Adelaide smarts show Queensland mango growers the best way to market.

Andrew Grant and Jackson Virgo from SA's Availer startup.

AUSTRALIA’S prized mango crops will get an easier ride after a rising star in the AgTech world, Adelaide-based Availer, raised $500,000 to pilot cutting edge technology tracking their journey from tree to distribution shed.

It’s a breakthrough for the local tech community, according to Availer co-founder Andrew Grant, who thinks South Australia should be positioning itself as the AgTech “hub of the world”.

“Someone had to crack the egg and it should be SA,” Mr Grant said.

Availer is an accelerator that co-founded T-Provenance to use sensors and smart chips that continually check the temperature, humidity and amount of vibrations during mango transport so growers can pinpoint where mangoes may get damaged.

“We’re looking for the blind spots in the supply chain where there are opportunities to improve or remove things that could be reducing the quality of mangoes, which can lead to a reduction in shelf life, price point and margin,” Mr Grant said.

It’s technology that’s struck a chord with the new Cooperative Research Centre for Developing Northern Australia established by the Federal Government, it has jointly given the company a $300,000 grant with Data61.

T-Provenance is working with peak Queensland horticulture body Growcom and mango producer Manbulloo.

T-Provenance chief technology officer Jackson Virgo said the blockchain technology would create quality assurance and trust in producing, transporting and marketing fruit and vegetables.

“By building the first platform to ensure traceability and quality control from field to fruit salad — we can help optimise quality, optimise shelf life, optimise taste and reduce wastage and quality reduction flow on costs,” he said.

Mr Grant said the ultimate goal was to commercialise the technology that could then be used internationally and help establish Adelaide as a hub for AgTech breakthroughs.

His company Availer has three more AgTech projects, including one developing lasers with Adelaide University to test meat tenderness.

It has huge ramifications for the meat industry, Mr Grant said, and generated healthy interest when it was unveiled at the recent Beef Australia week held in Rockhampton, Queensland, that attracted some 100,000 people.

Mr Grant said Availer, co-founded with New York-based Remo Carbone, was working with Yalumba wine company using lasers to monitor fermentation and maturation in single wine barrels.

“It has the potential to minimise spoilage in the winemaking process,” he said.

And there’s another project with Adelaide University and Dairy Explorer where the group’s technology monitors the fat, protein and cell count in dairy milk per cow.

Northern Australian CRC’s Chair Sheriden Morris said the mango project would have extensive applications.

“The project will focus initially on the mango industry, with the CRC estimating that upon successful adoption of its supply chain technology, 10 per cent of value will be added to farm gate production, equating to $14 million per annum.”