DPI&F HELPS HILL TRIBES SWITCH TO FRUIT CROPS FROM OPIUM
Published Thursday, 23 August, 2007 at 10:52 AM
Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries
The Honourable Tim Mulherin
A team of Australian scientists, led by the Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries’ Dr Alan George, is hoping to have an impact on the illegal drug trade by helping poor families in the mountainous regions of Thailand, Laos and Vietnam develop fruit production.
The project is focused on introducing new fruit varieties to these areas because of the excellent market opportunities in Asia for temperate fruits such as peach, plum, nectarine, persimmon, blueberry, raspberry and kiwifruit.
“People living in these regions, mostly Hill tribe minorities, are among the poorest people in the world, with annual incomes of less than $A300,’’ Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said.
“The project supports Australia’s international humanitarian aid provisions and hopefully will aid in reducing the dependence of minority Hill tribes on growing illicit crops such as opium.
“This in turn could ultimately reduce the international trade in these commodities,‘’ Mr Mulherin said.
“While tropical fruits are generally cheap in Asia because of local domestic production and oversupply in local markets, most temperate fruits are imported, more expensive and regarded by Asians as luxury foods.
“We estimate that temperate fruit production in the Asian mountainous regions has the potential to reach $A2-3 billion and support several hundred thousand families, greatly improving their incomes and reducing poverty.
“Promoting temperate fruits in Asia will also enhance counter-seasonal exports of these fruits from Australia, which will benefit our farmers.’’
Dr George, who is the project leader, said the project had so far seen the planting of over 1000 trees, comprising 50 new temperate fruit varieties, in mountainous regions of Thailand, Lao and Vietnam and nurseries have been established to further multiply these species.
“Based on market analyses, we have also modified our breeding programs to select new temperate fruit varieties which are better suited to the Asian palate,” Dr George said
“Advanced orchard management technologies developed in Australia and elsewhere have been modified and adapted for Hill tribe farmers so that they operate low-cost and environmentally-friendly fruit production with minimal use of pesticides.
“In Laos, farmers achieved incomes of about $A6000 - $A8000 per hectare from peach and nectarine production, some 20-30 times greater than their usual annual income of $A300, from growing upland rice and corn.
“At Ang Kang in northern Thailand, Tropic Beauty peach trees produced 120-150 fruit per tree with an estimated yield of 8-10 tonnes per hectare. Fruit quality was excellent with average fruit weights of 150g and high sugar content.
“With an average price of 80 baht ($A3) per kg, the project shows that farmers can achieve gross returns of $25,000 per hectare, even in very steep, marginal country.’’
The project began in 1997 and is being funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, (ACIAR) a government agency.
NB. Photos available on request, call 32393000
Media:
Minister’s office 32396530
DPI&F Mark Dawson 0407 756 859
The project is focused on introducing new fruit varieties to these areas because of the excellent market opportunities in Asia for temperate fruits such as peach, plum, nectarine, persimmon, blueberry, raspberry and kiwifruit.
“People living in these regions, mostly Hill tribe minorities, are among the poorest people in the world, with annual incomes of less than $A300,’’ Minister for Primary Industries and Fisheries Tim Mulherin said.
“The project supports Australia’s international humanitarian aid provisions and hopefully will aid in reducing the dependence of minority Hill tribes on growing illicit crops such as opium.
“This in turn could ultimately reduce the international trade in these commodities,‘’ Mr Mulherin said.
“While tropical fruits are generally cheap in Asia because of local domestic production and oversupply in local markets, most temperate fruits are imported, more expensive and regarded by Asians as luxury foods.
“We estimate that temperate fruit production in the Asian mountainous regions has the potential to reach $A2-3 billion and support several hundred thousand families, greatly improving their incomes and reducing poverty.
“Promoting temperate fruits in Asia will also enhance counter-seasonal exports of these fruits from Australia, which will benefit our farmers.’’
Dr George, who is the project leader, said the project had so far seen the planting of over 1000 trees, comprising 50 new temperate fruit varieties, in mountainous regions of Thailand, Lao and Vietnam and nurseries have been established to further multiply these species.
“Based on market analyses, we have also modified our breeding programs to select new temperate fruit varieties which are better suited to the Asian palate,” Dr George said
“Advanced orchard management technologies developed in Australia and elsewhere have been modified and adapted for Hill tribe farmers so that they operate low-cost and environmentally-friendly fruit production with minimal use of pesticides.
“In Laos, farmers achieved incomes of about $A6000 - $A8000 per hectare from peach and nectarine production, some 20-30 times greater than their usual annual income of $A300, from growing upland rice and corn.
“At Ang Kang in northern Thailand, Tropic Beauty peach trees produced 120-150 fruit per tree with an estimated yield of 8-10 tonnes per hectare. Fruit quality was excellent with average fruit weights of 150g and high sugar content.
“With an average price of 80 baht ($A3) per kg, the project shows that farmers can achieve gross returns of $25,000 per hectare, even in very steep, marginal country.’’
The project began in 1997 and is being funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research, (ACIAR) a government agency.
NB. Photos available on request, call 32393000
Media:
Minister’s office 32396530
DPI&F Mark Dawson 0407 756 859