The China market has been crucial to the industry and has provided stability in the industry but all markets are important.
- Frank Mercuri, chairman, Pacific Fresh
A move to combine citrus growing efforts back in the nineties continues serve well the growers involved in Pacific Fresh.
A MOVE to combine citrus growing efforts back in the nineties continues to serve well the growers involved in Pacific Fresh.
The Riverina-based Pacific Fresh group has almost 809 hectares (2000 acres) of citrus planted and is planting another 404ha (1000ac) during the next three years.
The orchards include Navel and Valencia oranges, grapefruit, mandarins and limes.
Pacific Fresh was formed in 1993 by a group of individual citrus growers.
In 1996 the shareholders decided to merge their operations together, thereby shutting down their individual packing houses and moving all their operations into one central and updated location based halfway between Yanco and Leeton, NSW.
This helped the group to ensure it could maintain a high standard of quality to all their customers.
Pacific Fresh is owned and managed by eight shareholders/directors, who are mostly third-generation farmers.
Pacific Fresh chairman Frank Mercuri said looking beyond domestic consumption has certainly helped.
“The China market has been crucial to the industry and has provided stability in the industry but all markets are important and we do export to a fair few countries- Canada, USA, New Zealand, and most Asian countries,” Mr Mercuri said.
“The industry for fresh fruit is travelling okay but the juice industry is having its ups and downs.”
Pacific Fresh is looking into new lines which might provide a marketing edge with customers.
“There a few new varieties that we have just started planting. Some are easy-peel mandarins, a brown skin navel and red flesh navel but we are a few years away from harvest,” Mr Mercuri said.
Like many parts of the country, the district has been enduring drier than normal conditions.
“The Leeton area has been really dry over the last few months but we have enough high security water to see us through. All farms are watered with drip irrigation,” Mr Mercuri said.
The adherence to quality is highlighted in Pacific Fresh’s accreditation with a Certification Assurance under AQIS arrangements.
It is also certified with HACCP certification.
