Avocado grower wins Queensland Rural Women's Award - 21/02/2008
Avocados Australia congratulates Ros Smerdon on winning the 2008 RIRDC Queensland Rural Women's Award.
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.
Ros Smerdon is also Chair of Natures Fruit Company, an avocado grower owned cooperative, and has been the driving force behind Natures Fruit Company’s strategic re-focusing and expansions over the last three years.
Ros has stated she plans to research value-adding opportunities for avocado. The $10,000 prize accompanying the award will pay for Mrs Smerdon to undertake a study tour of avocado operations and value adding processing in South Africa.
The award puts her in the running for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporations' national awards.
Avocados Australia wishes her luck in the national round of the awards.
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
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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