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Posted on September 9, 2011

by BEN PISCIONERI

THE head of Australia’s peak dried fruit industry body, Dried Fruits Australia, believes the decision by Mildura’s newest fruit processor to abolish ‘dark’ and ‘light’ fruit quality classifications will suit the industry’s new ‘wonder Sultana’ – the Sunglo.

Merbein South-based Australian Premium Dried Fruits sent shock waves through the dried fruits industry this week, releasing significantly higher prices than last year, much earlier than other processors.

APDF also announced ‘light’ and ‘dark’ fruit would be paid at the same price.

The processor will offer up to $2250 per tonne for Sunmuscat, $2150 for Sultana and $2150 for Currants.

DFA chairman, Mark King, said removing ‘light’ and ‘dark’ classifications made the new Sunglo variety a more attractive proposition.

“Sunglo is a variety that handles rain damage a lot better than other varieties,” Mr King said.

“It still goes brown but maintains its quality. So if we’re getting paid the same for brown or golden fruit, it makes Sunglo a very good option.”

While he didn’t say rival processors Sunbeam Foods and Clyne Foods would be forced to match APDF’s prices, Mr King believes they will certainly need to consider them in their decision-making.

“I have no doubt that it will make the other two processors look hard at the prices on offer, but whether or not they can find the markets that APDF has – time will tell,” he said.

Both Clyne Foods and Sunbeam Foods wouldn’t pre-empt prices this week.

“It’s a bit early to say,” Clyne Foods chairman Norm Clyne said yesterday.

“We’ll be looking toward the end of the year.”

However he said Clyne Food would retain the ‘dark’ and ‘light’ gradings.

“We won’t be changing the grades,” he said.

“We don’t think that’s good policy. Light fruit has always been highly valued so we won’t be changing the grades.”

Sunbeam Foods’ general manager for Fruit Supply, Chris Ellis was similar in his stance to prices.

“At the appropriate time, but traditionally that’s been closer to the season, however we’ll keep reviewing that.” Mr Ellis said.

He wouldn’t confirm whether Sunbeam would consider changing its grading system by removing the ‘dark’ and ‘light’ classifications.

APDF general manager, John Gray, said the decision to change its grading system, which was in line with that proposed by DFA would remove what he described as “a common concern for growers.”

“Historically the cause for complaint is the colour of the fruit rather than the actual grade as the grade of the fruit is easy for all to determine,” Mr Gray said.

He said APDF had managed to develop both domestic and international markets for darker coloured fruit, making the new grading mechanism possible.

APDF has a fruit processing facility at Merbein South and is now in its fifth year.

It is offering a loyalty bonus of 2.5 percent to contracted growers delivering their third successive harvest and five percent for the fifth consecutive harvest.

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