THE nation’s top apple and pear growers were acknowledged at the Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) 2018 Awards for Excellence at Hort Connections 2018 this month.
The awards recognise the outstanding achievements of the industry’s most successful growers, researchers, people and businesses working across all areas of the supply chain – from production and processing through to marketing and export.
Nominations were submitted to the APAL Board for consideration with a number of high quality and impressive candidates being proposed.
Here are the winners:
Excellence Award: Dr Sally Bound, Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture
Sally is a well-known researcher and advocate of Australia’s fruit industries.
She provides technical information and advice to orchardists and industry groups throughout Australia and regularly conducts workshops, seminars, orchard walks and training courses across the country to help industry members make the most of cutting-edge horticultural research.
Exporter of the Year: Montague, Vic
Montague is a family business that has been growing fruit for almost 70 years.
It is an industry leader, creating new market opportunities for pome and other fruit products.
Women in Horticulture: Susie Murphy White, Pomewest, WA
Susie has demonstrated an outstanding ability and success in her role as a Future Orchards Front Line Advisor, Industry Project Manager for Pomewest and the go-to person for technical advice and assistance for WA growers.
Rising Star: Nathan Barolli, Barolli Orchards, Vic
Nathan is a third-generation orchardist working alongside his brother and parents. Their business has recently expanded to include pears, apples and plums; five orchards and two cool storage facilities in the Goulburn Valley; and another orchard and cool store in Batlow. In total, the orchards account for 350 acres and cool-stores of 12,000 bins.
Grower of the Year: Gerard Alampi, Prima Fresh, Vic
Gerard is a third-generation orchardist who started working in the family business from an early age. His vision is to offer a consistent, premium brand with a 12-month supply delivered through consolidation.
Today, his brand Prima Fresh operates as an expanding broad-spectrum business with retail, market and export opportunities.
Lifetime Achievement Award: David Williams, Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, Vic
David has constantly demonstrated excellence in the apple and pear industry and is well known in the research, development and extension space where he has more than 40 years’ experience to orchard pest management.
Lifetime Achievement Award: Ray Montague, Montague, Vic
Ray is an industry leader who is known for conducting business with integrity, dedication and distinction; he is a motivated and inspirational leader who is well respected by his team and the wider industry. He’s been described as having a lifelong love affair with apples.