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Oceania
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03/06/10 |
Australia: Bolivian Organic Fruit Grown in North Queensland |
A North Queensland
organic fruit grower is close to achieving something never done outside
Bolivia: growing organic achachairu.
The exotic tropical fruit is native to Bolivia and it's thought
Australia is the only other country where it's grown commercially.
Garradunga farmer Philip Reitano planted a thousand trees five years
ago. He's expecting his first crop later this
year.
"The fruit is about the size of a large plum. It's got a single seed in
it," he says.
"The skin can be literally cracked off and it's got a white flesh and it
tastes between a tarty and a sweet taste. It's not too sweet and not too
sour."
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The European Market for Organic Fruit & Vegetables
Source:
ABC Rural News
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01/06/10 |
Australia: Dairy Milk Chocolate Gets Fairtrade Certification |
Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate in Australia is now Fairtrade
Certified.
In Ghana, one of the main countries from where Cadbury globally sources
its cocoa beans, 45,000 farmers and their communities have already
benefited from Cadbury's global commitment to Fairtrade, a figure which
is expected to increase to up to 1 million farmers within the next ten
years through the work of Fairtrade and the Cadbury Cocoa Partnership.
Fairtrade provides farmers with the security of fair and stable prices
for their produce and social premiums for investment in economic and
local community development.
"From today, lovers of Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate will be able to
make their purchase in the knowledge that they are supporting a brighter
future for very small scale cocoa farmers, their families and their
villages," Steve Knap, Fairtrade Labelling ANZ executive director, said.
"This is a real milestone for Fairtrade and for cocoa growers in Ghana.
While Fairtrade Certified Cadbury Dairy Milk milk chocolate will create
a step-change in awareness of Fairtrade in Australia, the real impacts
will be in Ghana where it will potentially transform the lives and
opportunities for thousands of people in cocoa-growing communities."
Aussie Olympic hero, Libby Trickett, has joined forces with Fairtrade
and Cadbury and has become an ambassador for Cadbury Fairtrade.
Organic Monitor Comment
Although Australia has a small market for fairtrade products, Cadbury is
applauded for its decision to carry the Fairtrade mark on
Dairy Milk chocolate.
The brand's popularity is envisaged to raise awareness of
fair trade, encouraging Australian consumers to buy more certified
products. Its move is also likely to encourage other chocolate brands to
adopt fair trade practices. In the UK, Nestle's Kit Kat (one of the
leading chocolate brands) became certified Fairtrade in January 2010.
Green & Black's (also owned by Cadbury) decided to convert its entire
supply of cocoa to fair trade earlier this year.
Ethical sourcing and fair trade were extensively featured in the Sustainable
Foods Summit, which took place in Amsterdam on 10-11th June. Leading
confectionary companies, including Nestle and Green & Black's gave
papers in this executive summit. The conference proceedings are
available for a small professional fee.
More details are on the
website
Source:
Food & Pack
/ Organic Monitor
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01/06/10 |
Australia:
Organic Beef Exports Booming |
An organic cattle operation in Queensland's Channel Country says it's
looking for up to 20,000 more cattle to meet increasing demand in
markets.
The Organic Beef Export Company (OBE) already exports beef around the
world, including to Japan, Malaysia and the United States.
Founding director David Brook says this year has been a bumper season,
with rain and flooding, but it will present a challenge for organic
producers looking to re-build.
"We are actively looking. I think we probably need increase the size of
our herd that we select from by 10,000 to 20,000 head over the next
three to five years," he says.
"We are starting on that planning now to meet the demand as we see it in
future years."
Source:
ABC Rural News
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