QUEENSLAND could become a bigger player in the stonefruit market with the release of seven new low chill varieties.
The new varieties include two “nectacots”, a pale yellow peach known as Pearl, a large yellow-flesh peach, two varieties of flat peaches and a flat nectarine.
The new lines are the result of proficient plant breeder and researcher Dr Bruce Topp in conjunction with early season stonefruit grower group, Low Chill Australia (LCA).
Fourteen years ago, LCA identified the need for improved fruit quality in order to progress the industry. A breeding program was developed by Dr Topp with financial support from the then Queensland Department of Primary Industries, LCA and Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL). More recently Dr Topp’s work has been supported by the University of Queensland.
Stonefruit grower and marketer Ross Stuhmcke, Blackboy Ridge, Gatton, Qld, has produced fruit from a small selection of trees in order to show-off the varieties.
He says although they have novelty value to them, they also have great potential.
“In Europe, flat peaches are really gaining market share and have a significant increase in percentage in the stonefruit segment,” he said.
“The other varieties have unique appearances, and as such are easy for consumers to identify. They also have excellent eating qualities.”
Mr Stuhmcke’s own taste assessments were backed up by an in-store trial among Woolworths customers where about 300 people sampled the fruit and provided feedback.
“From that day, the flat white and yellow peaches went really well, but the pale yellow peach, Pearl, was the preferred,” he said.
“As many of these fruits are only off a few trees, we only have a small number of fruit to distribute and so getting feedback from a national audience is impossible.
“We are not finding any that are not receiving good reports, which is great, as we honed in on flavour as a very important attribute in selecting these fruit.”
On the wholesale markets level, Mr Stuhmcke said the nectacots have been sought out, with a premium price being fetched for all lines.
Fairfax Media was recently given a look at and taste sample of the new varieties when Mr Stuhmcke was in Childers visiting potential growers.
Childers already boasts the northernmost commercial stonefruit orchard in Australia and could be an ideal base for further orchards.
“Our aim is to provide our customers with a seasonal, but lengthy continuous supply of fruit,” Mr Stuhmcke said.
“Therefore, we are hoping that growers from growing areas such as South East Queensland and Northern NSW, from the Sydney basin, and further to the west, places such as Renmark in SA will join in to produce the fruit.”
