A NEW narrative is required for communicating the health benefits of citrus.
That's according to food and nutrition scientist Emma Beckett of FOODiQ Global who spoke at the Australian Citrus Congress last month.
More than 420 industry members converged on the Novotel Sunshine Coast Resort for the three-day event which included a main conference program, tradeshow-style exhibition, gala dinner and biosecurity symposium.
Ms Beckett spoke during session on the consumer landscape, saying the new narrative needed to move beyond the notion of oranges and mandarins being good sources of Vitamin C.
Ms Beckett proposed a new paradigm that highlights the systemic health benefits of citrus, positioning the category as an "affordable superfood" that's accessible and nutrient rich.
The main conference program provided delegates with the opportunity to hear from experts across the global citrus industry, and beyond.
In the opening keynote session, agricultural finance expert Patrick Vizzone spoke on how the changing geopolitical landscape was shaping global economies.
Based on current forecasts, Mr Vizzone said the Australian Dollar was likely to strengthen against both the US Dollar and the Chinese Yuan over 2025 and 2026, resulting in greater price competition and lower imported input costs for Australian suppliers.
He said higher incomes would also continue to drive increased demand for premium food products in key Asian markets, including China.
The Port of Melbourne's Marion Kloos provided information on global forces influencing shipping patterns and what they mean for Australian suppliers.
Ms Kloos noted a trend towards consolidated services out of the Port of Melbourne, along with a move towards larger refer vessels.
Delegates also heard about the impact Huanglongbing (HLB) disease has had on the global orange juice market.
In an on-stage interview with Citrus Australia's Olivia Tait, Grove Juice's managing director, Greg Quinn, reflected on some new-found opportunities for Australian growers and juice producers.
Breakout sessions were interspersed between the keynote presentations.
The breakout sessions focused on the areas of production, varieties, technology and postharvest/packaging, providing delegates with practical information and take-home learnings relevant to their respective areas of business.
Citrus Australia chief executive officer Nathan Hancock said the organisation was very pleased with the number of registered delegates.
"Particularly pleasing was the strong contingent of citrus growers that took time to step off their orchards and travel to the Sunshine Coast," Mr Hancock said.
"By investing in attending, these growers invested in a profitable future for their businesses and the industry as a whole."
A tradeshow-style exhibition ran alongside the conference program with more than 25 companies from across the citrus supply chain showcasing their products and services.
The Congress' official welcome function, sponsored by Costa, provided a fun, casual environment to kickstart the event with many delegates choosing to throw on their best Hawaiian attire for the tropical-themed event.
"Connection was a key pillar of the event, so we placed a strong emphasis on creating an environment that allowed delegates to catch up with old friends and forge new relationships," Mr Hancock said.
Earlier in the week, over 70 delegates took the opportunity to take part in a pre-event study tour of the Bundaberg region.
The tour included stops at QDAF'S Bundaberg Research Facility, where Smith and his team showcased varieties emerging from the levy-funded Australian Citrus Breeding Program.
Safeguarding borders
CITRUS Australia's inaugural Biosecurity Symposium was held at the start of the event with more than 170 delegates hearing from world-leading researchers and plant health experts, who shared their knowledge on the risks that exotic pests and diseases pose to Australian citrus business.
The event had a core focus on Huanglongbing (HLB) disease, along with its vector the Asian Citrus Psyllid (ACP).
"While many of the delegates were alarmed by the content of these talks due to the significant risks posed by HLB and ACP, we were able to balance that out by showing how far we have come in the preparedness and protection of our industry, acknowledging we still have work to do," Mr Hancock said.
