Attending the event was APAL’s Quality Project Manager Andrew Mandemaker who represented industry and helped promote Australian apples and pears at the event to importers, traders and supermarkets from the Middle East. “Export opportunities exist in these new markets, especially for premium quality branded apples and pears.”

APAL said that it is committed to promoting exports of apples and pears in new markets like the Middle East in line with the Apple & Pear Industry Export Development Strategy, released in August this year.

“Importers look to Australian producers to bridge the supply of premium quality branded apples and pears late in the season, before the northern hemisphere season begins,” Mandemaker said. “Our reputation for clean, safe, premium quality fruits and vegetables remains the key message in promoting Australian apples and pears in the region.”

Taste Australia’ is an initiative of Hort Innovation focused on in-market export activity to help promote premium Australian produce in current and future markets. It is part of a broader trade push by Hort Innovation to significantly grow Australian horticultural exports by 2025.

Other industry representative bodies in attendance included AUSVEG, Summerfruit Australia, Fruit Growers Tasmania and Cherry Growers Australia.

Source: APAL