Persimmon grower aims to export
From the July 2007 edition of Agriculture Today.
A world wide search on products used to control mealybug on persimmons is helping a Thirlmere grower work his way back to exporting.
In 2004, regulatory officers in Singapore found mealybugs under the calyx of fruit from Cedar Creek Orchard near Picton and rejected the consignment. Mealybugs are sap sucking insects that spoil the fruit by helping sooty mould to develop, mostly around the calyx. The insect also affects other fruits such as citrus and passionfruit.
“For export you need almost nil tolerance of the pest,” orchard manager Mark Silm said. He tried using the predatory insect Crypolaemus as part of his biological control program with limited success.
“What was needed was a systemic product that gave long term control,” said Mr Silm.
With help from Lawrence Ullio, NSW Department of Primary Industries district horticulturist at the Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute at Camden, Mr Silm got a permit from the Australian Pesticide and Veterinary Medicines Authority for the use, subject to maximum residue limits, of a chemical not registered in Australia but used overseas to control the pest.
After a wide search of both chemicals used for research and currently used registered products, they chose imidacloprid – a systemic that when applied to the soil can provide up to two years protection from mealybugs. Mr Silm now aims to regain some of his overseas markets if next year’s fruit quality is good enough and insect free; volume of persimmons on overseas markets and exchange rates will also have a bearing on his capacity to trade.
Over a decade, export of Australian persimmons increased steadily from virtually nil to more than 100,000 trays (400 tonnes). At the time, this represented 20 per cent of national production. The major export markets are Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong.
Mr Silm is a member of the Australian Persimmon Export Company, the largest export operator accounting for more than 50 per cent of fruit exported from Australia.
Contact Lawrence Ullio, Camden, 02 4640 6408.
