Supply Chain Innovation
© Queensland Government
Our Supply Chain Innovation team delivers innovative solutions to improve fresh produce quality.
We are Australia’s leading postharvest horticulture research, development and extension provider.
We can work with you and your business to:
- improve fresh produce knowledge and handling practices from harvest to retail
- identify opportunities to enhance product quality and supply chain capabilities, reduce risks and increase returns.
Newsletters
Keep up with the latest research and development in domestic and export horticulture supply chains by subscribing to Supply Chain Innovation news.
In the May 2023 issue:
- Safeguarding produce quality in the supply chain
- Meeting Japanese importer and consumer expectations in melons
- New climate management tools
- Vegetables conference poster showcases DAF Supply Chain Innovation team research
- Introducing PhD student Yiru Chen
- Technique to evaluate sprayer performance in orchards
You can also read past newsletters.
What we can do for your business
- Identify opportunities to improve through whole-of-chain analysis
- Deliver advice, information and training
- Diagnose product quality and handling issues
- Prioritise interventions to make chains and handling systems more effective and efficient
- Evaluate new technologies for treating and handling fresh produce and monitoring chain performance
- Develop decision-aid tools to predict consequences of supply chain conditions on arrival quality
- Re-engineer transport, storage and ripening practices
- Improve traceability systems
- Enhance chain partner communication and relationships
What sets us apart
- Leading with a science-based and participatory problem-solving approach
- Applying in-depth knowledge and experience with tropical and temperate fruits and vegetables
- Possessing extensive knowledge in postharvest handling systems and technology
- Connections with national and international science and industry networks
- Conducting value chain, risk assessment and economic analysis
- Offering diverse skill sets and commitment to excellence and commercial outcomes
- Using modern research facilities including controlled environment rooms, ripening facilities, specialised laboratory equipment
- Covering from Cairns to South East Queensland
Current project achievements
Improving fruit quality and profitability of Honey Gold mango
Results include:
- reducing the risk of under skin browning of Honey Gold mangoes
- identifying and evaluating in-field and postharvest practices, including changing night harvesting
- reduced crop losses from 23 to 2%, representing an annual saving of up to $1,000,000 for Piñata Farms growers.
Developing best practice pre- and postharvest protocols for producing Calypso™ mango
Results include:
- significantly improved fruit quality, practices and the genetic potential Calypso mango.
- Calypso™ now accounts for 25% of Australian mangoes and is worth $71 million per annum at farm gate.
Serviced Supply Chains
Results include:
- driving practice change with exporters of mango, citrus, summerfruit, and table grape.
- demonstrating the benefits of monitoring from farm to retailer
- implementing decision-aid tools to improve handling and quality
- providing resources to increase impact, adoption and value.
Avocado Supply Chain Feedback
Results include:
- identifying and promoting improved supply chain practices from farm to retail.
- reviewing benchmark information on practices, handling temperature and quality feedback from the chains at district workshops
- identifying improvement areas, case studies and training.
Delivering high quality sea freight vegetables to Asia
Results included:
- developing Australia’s expertise in sea freighting vegetables
- mapping and monitoring export supply chains
- undertaking competitor analysis
- identifying strategies to improve product quality in order to instil confidence in the industry to export to Asia.
Our major clients and partners
- Australian Mango Industry Association
- Avocados Australia Ltd
- Glen Grove Orchard Pty Ltd
- Hort Innovation Australia Ltd
- Manbulloo Ltd
- Montague Pty Ltd
- Mulgowie Farming Company
- Northern Territory Department of Primary Industry and Resources
- Perfection Fresh Australia Pty Ltd
- Piñata Farms Pty Ltd
- One Harvest Pty Ltd
- The University of Queensland
- Victoria Department of Jobs, Precincts and Region
Further information
Read our information sheets on Temperature monitoring technologies to improve business management of your supply chain:
- Choosing a single-use real-time logger: A new users guide
- Investing in temperature monitoring of mango exports: A business case
- IoT-driven connectivity will revolutionise real-time temperature monitoring of horticulture supply chains
- Routine fresh produce supply chain monitoring—making the most of your data
- Regraphing temperature data
- Should I monitor air or product (pulp) temperature?
- Where should temperature loggers be placed?
- Recommended storage temperatures
- Choosing a consignment monitoring technology
- Assessing fruit firmness through supply chains
- Domestic mango supply chain: rules of thumb
- Export mango supply chains: rules of thumb
- Key post harvest practices impacting melon quality in domestic and export markets
- Key field practices impacting melon quality in domestic and export markets
Contact Andrew Macnish, the team leader at Maroochy Research Facility in Nambour: andrew.macnish@daf.qld.gov.au or phone the Customer Service Centre on 13 25 23.