In 1996 the Chestnut Growers of Australia Ltd of which our enterprise is a member, finalised a Strategy Plan for the chestnut industry. The industry’s key strategic directions are:
- To further grow the ethnic consumer base in the local market and also dramatically expand consumption amongst the wider Australian population.
- To encourage a co-operative marketing approach between exporters to expand usage in overseas markets and increase overall returns to Australian producers.
- To establish a quality management system from tree to plate backed by an agreed set of standards, including a limited number of recommended varieties.
The plan identified the strengths and weaknesses of the product as:
Strengths -
- Potential for association with edible fungi industry and the game meat industry
- Health/nutrition information available from overseas
- Potential to process and package as a snack food (just peeled/soups/flour/icecream, etc. non traditional uses)
- Genetic base of existing varieties
- Flour production potential good for off grade product
- CGA is endeavouring to identify poor flavoured/poor peeling cultivars
- Versatility
- Nostalgia/comfort with many consumers
- Few diseases inherent in production
Weaknesses -
- Inconvenient in fresh form
- No feasible processing in Australia proposed at present
- Genetic base of existing varieties - existence of a multitude of varieties - performance of varieties in trial
- Lack of alternative uses at present
- Consumers cannot identify poor flavoured/peeling cultivars
- Perishability
- Trees susceptible to phytophthora
Over the past 3 years R&D funding through HRDC has been directed to research into the postharvest problem of phomopsis, retailer education, storage, phytophthora, reduction in the number of varieties and market/industry intelligence. A Quality Manual for the industry has been trialed and produced.
I see the opportunities for the industry in Tasmania as:
- Dovetails with the “clean/green” image - only one chemical registered for use with chestnuts at this time (glysophate)
- High value/low volume product
- Small but significant population of traditional users of chestnuts and proximity to Melbourne markets
- Potential for import replacement in processed products and export
- Chestnut industry group highly motivated and based on independent co-operative growers
- Enterprise can be developed in stages given a small amount of suitable land (abundant in Tasmania) and personal effort
The threats to such an industry in Tasmania as I perceive them:
- Local ignorance and a lack of entrepreneurial interest by local landholders
- Lack of expertise in local rural services e.g. advice in interpretation of soil tests for the specific needs of chestnuts
- Threats to the survival of orchards and “clean” image from nearby aerial spraying of herbicides
- Attempts to institutionalise the industry through vertical integration and control of markets
- Government priorities: e.g. threats to establish infrastructure for mining over high value orchards (Picking winners/playing favourites)
In conclusion
Chestnuts are a high value tree providing a long term investment. It is a horticultural enterprise suited to the small landowner giving diversity and interest to the range of products available from this sector in Tasmania. It is backed by an independent, highly motivated industry group focussed on practical research to provide a basis for a quality product.
Thank you for the opportunity to make this submission,
Colleen Dibley
Preolenna Chestnuts
February, 1999