Summary

The proposed project will support research and development with the Chinese date (Jujube) industry in Western Australia and develop linkages with other R&D agencies and producers nationally.

The Department of Agriculture and Food in Western Australia (DAFWA) ‘New Opportunities for the Wool-Belt’ project (2008/2009) has indicated increased interest in the production and marketing of Jujube within WA as a fresh and processed product with potential markets with Asian retailers and specialist Health food stores.

Recent market studies carried out by DAFWA have indicated an undersupply of both fresh and dried Jujube to a potentially large underdeveloped domestic market and specialised fresh fruit market in Singapore.

The major limiting factors to industry development are the lack of high quality plant material of the required market varieties and a need for best practise production, grading and storage information.

Varity testing will be carried out on varieties available within Australia and proposed imports from research institutes in China.

Program

New and Emerging Plant Industries

Research Organisation

Western Australian Agriculture Authority, a body corporate established under the Biosecurity and Agriculture Management Act 2007

Objective Summary

The research and development objectives and outcomes:
1) to develop rapid multiplication techniques to ensure that high quality plant material of the required market varieties is available to industry by 2013 for varieties presently in Australia and proposed imports of new varieties from China.
2) to test a range of Australian and introduced varieties in Western Australia.
3) to develop a Best Practise Manual for the complete Supply Chain of production, grading, storage and marketing techniques.
4) to promote awareness and further develop the market for both fresh and processed product within Australia.
5) to further investigate the potential markets in SE Asia for the supply of both fresh and processed product and provide linkages and information to industry.