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Oceania
 

03/06/10

Australia: Bolivian Organic Fruit Grown in North Queensland

01/06/10

Australia: Dairy Milk Chocolate Gets Fairtrade Certification

01/06/10

Australia: Organic Beef Exports Booming

 

 

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."

Related Article: #1002-41 The European Market for Organic Fruit & Vegetables

Source: ABC Rural News

 

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

 

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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