News

The Macadamia R&D Strategic Investment Advisory Panel (SIAP) met last week to consider priorities for macadamia R&D investment for FY25 and beyond. Key priorities were informed through recent industry consultation and surveys.  

The SIAP, chaired by Stephen Harmer, comprises representatives of the macadamia industry from all production regions, with a wide cross section of research, extension and production knowledge.

Prioritised and endorsed investment areas (subject to available funding) include:

• Plant physiology
• Macadamia breeding
• Pollination
• Leadership 
• Marketing-related R&D

The proposed macadamia physiology project will address many of the priorities raised through recent industry consultation and surveys. Further industry engagement & consultation will take place in coming months as the project scope is finalised ensuring it delivers against priority issues identified by industry.

The outcomes of the SIAP consultation will be communicated to industry via the annual investment plan (AIP) that will be published later in the year. Along with the prioritised areas of investment outlined above, there are two investments out to tender:

• Macadamia industry crisis and risk management, and  
• Macadamia master class

These can be found at https://tenders.net/dtp/horticulture/

More info

You can read about the SIAP (including who’s on the panel), the Strategic Investment Plan and learn about the process for prioritising strategic levy investments on the Hort Innovation website here:

https://www.horticulture.com.au/growers/container-page/macadamia-fund/fund-management/

Download the Strategic Investment Plan below.