Tasmanian fruit growers on cloud nine as ideal conditions for harvest set them up for export boom

Millions of kilograms of plump and juicy Tassie fruit are set to flood global export markets as growers brim with optimism ahead of what is expected to be an extremely strong harvest season.

Woodstock Orchards owner Mike Oakford who has started harvesting cherries at Woodstock. Picture: Chris Kidd

Ideal harvest conditions have primed Tasmanian fruit growers for a busy summer season as they prepare to send millions of kilograms of produce into global export markets.

The industry is expected to employ about 10,000 people in January, with the cherry harvest looking particularly strong.

Mike Oakford, of Woodstock Cherries in the Huon Valley, said this year’s crop had few splits and looked to be a good size.

“Compared to last year, it’s 100 per cent better. We were 80 per cent damaged last year. It was basically a wipe-out. So it’s a complete turnaround,” he said.

Mr Oakford said relatively dry conditions and minimal rain meant the fruit had been able to flourish and grow well.

Woodstock Orchards owner Mike Oakford who has started harvesting cherries at Woodstock. Picture: Chris Kidd

“But we can never be 100 per cent sure until we’ve got them off and into boxes ready for going to market. So there’s still potential there for damage if the weather happens to turn on us,” he said.

Woodstock Cherries has been receiving numerous inquiries from people looking for work, with Mr Oakford saying he had been fielding up to 15 emails every day, as well as phone calls.

Last year, 70 per cent of Australia’s total cherry exports originated in Tasmania.

Sharon Keetch, of Tru-Blu Berries at Lymington, said the blueberry harvest had been under way for the last fortnight but would really kick into gear when the Brigitta variety was ready for picking next month.

“We’ve got lots of pickers lined up. A lot of backpackers have come back on board so there’s quite a few people wanting jobs and on the waiting list,” she said.

Tru-Blu Berries chiefly exports its fruit domestically, selling to wholesalers in Sydney, Melbourne and Adelaide, as well as local grocery stores.

Ms Keetch said blueberries were not affected by rain like cherries were, but wind and hail could cause damage to the crop.

Seasonal workers Sandra Pickl and Elsa Xu packing cherries at Woodstock Orchards. Picture: Chris Kidd

The Tasmanian government has a target of growing the state’s export trade to $15bn by 2050.

Fruit Growers Tasmania CEO Peter Cornish said he was anticipating that cherry exports alone would be worth about $50m this season.

He described the harvest conditions as “tremendous”.

“We’ve had good, long sunny days. It’s perfect. Warm temperatures, it’s ideal for the ripening of fruit all around the state,” he said.

“It’s really prime production time now. We’re just about to enter into the biggest time for cherries. This is the ideal time for the fruit to really ripen and grow, whether it be for cherries or for berries kicking off.”

Mr Cornish said cherries were enormously popular in Asian markets, especially in the lead-up to the Lunar New Year, during which time the fruit is given as a gift in China, symbolising prosperity and good fortune.

“This year [the Lunar New Year] is on the 10th of February. So it’s ideal [timing] for us,” he said.

Tasmania’s apple harvest will begin in mid-February, with March and April being the peak picking period for the fruit, Mr Cornish said.

Originally published as Tasmanian fruit growers on cloud nine as ideal conditions for harvest set them up for export boom