Avocado grower wins Australian Rural Women's Award - 02/06/2008
Avocados Australia congratulates Ros Smerdon on winning The Australian RIRDC Rural Women's Award 2008.
Avocados Australia member, and Chairman of Natures Fruit Company, Ros Smerdon, has been awarded the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) national Rural Women’s Award. Ms Smerdon was earlier this year awarded the Queensland Rural Women’s Award.
An avocado grower, Mrs Ros Smerdon works within Smerdon Enterprises, which grows avocados at the Glasshouse Mountains on the Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The Smerdon family have been involved in Australian avocado industry for many years.
Mrs Smerdon has been and continues to be a driving force in the development of Natures Fruit Company’s (NFC) growth and expansion. NFC began operations in 1988 and has survived the ups and downs of the Australian avocado industry to be now led by Mrs Smerdon as Chairman for the last 3 years.
“Congratulations on behalf of the Avocados Australia Board, our office team and all avocado growers, on receiving this prestigious award,” said Mr Henry Kwaczynski, “the whole avocado industry is extremely proud of you receiving this coveted award, we wish you all the best and success in your future endeavors.”
Ros has stated she plans to research value-adding opportunities for avocado. The $10,000 bursary accompanying the award will pay for Mrs Smerdon to undertake a study tour of avocado operations and value adding processing in South Africa.
“Avocados Australia continues to focus on building human capacity and expanding our industry’s knowledge base,” explained Mr Antony Allen, Avocados Australia CEO. “Mrs Smerdon continues to add great depth to the industry’s capacity and will expand this knowledge with her South African study tour.”
For further comment:
Antony Allen, Avocados Australia CEO on 0438 132 477 or 07 3846 6566
Henry Kwaczynski, Avocados Australia Chair on 0409 261 461 or 07 5442 1767
Avocados Australia Limited is the Peak Industry Body in Australia for Avocados. We are a "not for profit" membership based organisation. Our members are Avocado growers along with associated businesses and industry people.
Avocados Australia seeks to work with all parts of the chain from production through to the consumer. By working together we seek to continually improve the ability of growers to provide a healthy, profitable and safe product for all consumers. As part of this continual improvement we guide a "research & development" and "marketing and promotion" program for the Australian Avocado industry.
The Australian Avocado industry comprises 1200 growers across the country and produces 46,000 tonnes of Avocados each year worth $AUD120 million at farm gate and $420 million at retail level. Key growing areas are North, Central and Southeast Queensland, Northern and Central New South Wales, the Sunraysia or Tristate area (South Australia, Victoria and South Western New South Wales) and Western Australia.
For more information Media Resources or contact Avocados Australia at ceo@avocado.org.au
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