Melons Australia's CEO Update


As we move into the second half of the year, there continues to be plenty happening across the Australian melon industry.

While the roadshow component of Project VM21000 officially concluded in Barmera at the end of May, the work certainly doesn't stop there. We are now focused on the final stage of this five-year industry engagement program, with ongoing activities centred around program delivery and planning for the 2026 Australian Melon Conference, taking place from 7–9 October 2026. Tickets are now on sale, program development is progressing well, and we encourage everyone to secure their place early. If you have any questions about the conference or the program, please don't hesitate to reach out to our team.

June also saw strong attendance and engagement at Hort Connections 2026. It was fantastic to connect with growers, industry partners and stakeholders throughout the week, and we would like to thank everyone who took the time to speak with our team. The event provided valuable opportunities to discuss industry priorities, strengthen relationships and explore new ideas, with several positive outcomes already emerging from those conversations.

At a strategic level, the Melons Australia Board is dedicating significant effort over the coming months to assessing and summarising data relating to melon consumption, as well as identifying future opportunities for marketing and promotional activities. This work will inform the development of a draft industry marketing plan, which will be presented for consideration and discussion at the 2026 Australian Melon Conference. Where appropriate, some initiatives may begin prior to the conference to help build momentum and deliver early outcomes for industry.

We also continue to engage with governments across the country to ensure they are aware of the challenges and impacts the ongoing Middle East crisis may have on our industry. We encourage growers and industry participants to share any insights, concerns or experiences with our team so we can effectively represent these issues and ensure they are communicated to key decision-makers.

In the meantime, if you haven't already, jump onto the conference website and secure your place at the 2026 Australian Melon Conference. We look forward to seeing you there and, as always, please reach out if there is any way our team can support you.

If there is anything that the Melons Australia team can support or assist you with feel free to reach out.

Johnathon Davey - CEO

E: ceo@melonsaustralia.org.au

P: +61 407 032 023

www.melonsaustralia.org.au

Early Bird Tickets End 30 June! 2026 Australian Melon Conference


Dates: Wednesday 7th October - Friday 9th October

Location: Field Day: Ayr, Conference: Townsville

Early bird tickets are still available until 30 June. Hosted across two Townsville venues: The Ville Resort-Casino and the Townsville Entertainment & Convention Centre, this year’s event promises three days of industry networking, knowledge sharing, and collaboration.

A rough agenda includes:

Wednesday 7 October

Attendees will visit the Ayr Research Station for a field day featuring variety trials, chemistry trials, technology showcases, and R,D&E demonstrations.

Following the field day, a welcome event will be held on The Lawn at The Ville from 6pm. 

Thursday 8 October 

Will focus on research, development, and innovation, with interactive sessions and workshops exploring the latest advancements shaping Australia’s melon industry. That evening, delegates will come together at The Ville Pavilion for the Gala Dinner, featuring drinks, canapes, a two-course meal, entertainment, and guest speakers.

Friday 9 October 

A conference program covering melon marketing, sustainability, compliance, supply chain innovation, and future business opportunities through keynote presentations and panel discussions.

A detailed conference agenda will be released in the coming weeks. Contact us for exclusive conference rates at The Ville, and Ardo - comms@melonsaustralia.org.au

CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR PARTNERS FOR THE EVENT

A detailed agenda for the conference will be released in the coming weeks.

Featured in Fresh Plaza: Strategic thinking needed for Australian melon industry


Australia’s melon industry is facing significant pressure from extreme weather, global disruptions, rising input costs, and market volatility, with many growers struggling to remain profitable amid oversupply and export challenges.

The industry is now shifting focus toward long-term, data-driven solutions, including coordinated production planning, stronger domestic marketing, and improved supply chain coordination. Traceability, branding, and consumer trust are also key priorities, with lessons being drawn from other horticulture sectors and QR-code trials showing potential despite cost barriers.

Industry leaders will continue developing a strategic plan ahead of the October conference, aiming to strengthen grower confidence, improve market stability, and grow demand for Australian melons.

According to Melons Australia CEO Johnathon Davey, extreme weather, global disruptions including the Middle East crisis, a stronger Australian dollar, and sharply rising input costs are creating boom-and-bust conditions that offer little certainty for producers. Export pressures, particularly to Japan, have pushed more fruit back into the domestic market, leading to periodic oversupply and depressed prices. Many growers report they are simply not making a profit, with added strain from shortages of essential supplies like plastic mulch and drip tape, along with ever-increasing compliance burdens.

APVMA decision on paraquat and diquat


The Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) released its final decision on paraquat and diquat on 23 June, following a comprehensive 30-year review by the independent regulator.

The decision confirms that products containing paraquat and diquat will remain approved for use, subject to significant new restrictions on application rates and permitted uses.

New registration conditions will apply to the labels of all paraquat and diquat products manufactured from 23 June, while existing stock will be phased out during a two-year transition period. This transition period provides an important opportunity for industry to prepare for the new restrictions and the implementation of updated occupational health and safety measures.

Melons Australia will work closely with affected businesses, registrants and other stakeholders to determine where the lower application rates can continue to be used effectively and to identify alternatives where gaps arise.

The full decision can be found here final decision regarding paraquat and diquat

Connecting melon growers to the future of industry investment

By Brett Fifield, CEO, Hort Innovation

Melon growers are operating in a challenging environment, with rising input costs, climate variability, labour pressures and shifting market expectations placing pressure on margins and confidence. Despite this, opportunities remain for businesses that stay focused on on-farm outcomes, productivity, biosecurity, risk management and market access to build long-term resilience and competitiveness.

Hort Innovation’s recent Impact Update brought growers together to show how industry investment in research, development, trade and marketing is delivering practical, on-farm benefits. The event highlighted the importance of turning investment into real results, supported by grower knowledge sharing and a whole-of-supply-chain approach to ensure stronger decision-making, improved efficiency and better market outcomes.

ExxoLift on-farm trial opportunity


Exxovantage®, in partnership with Hort Innovation Frontiers, is inviting growers to express their interest in joining a new on‑farm pilot project to trial ExxoLift™, a wearable assistive solution designed to reduce physical strain during manual tasks.

Melon Quality Project Update: Pleasing Progress in Melon Maturity Continues


Maturity monitoring results from the 2025/26 season show clear progress across all melon types and regions since monitoring began in 2022/23.

Watermelon maturity continues to improve. In the southern growing region, consumer acceptability for 2025/26 was just under the 80% industry target. The winter region reached 57%. Both regions have lifted steadily over the past three seasons. Growers using the harvest prediction tools provided by the project team report that it is helping them make more accurate picking decisions, and the overall feedback has been very positive.

The project team is now focusing on regions where climatic variability appears to be affecting maturity development, particularly in the northern growing region. Work is underway to quantify how factors such as changes in sunshine hours and temperature may be influencing melon maturity. Once these factors are better understood, the project team will look at developing processes to help growers mitigate these conditions. In areas with known variability, regular maturity monitoring remains important to ensure fruit is harvested at the right time.

Honeydew and rockmelon maturity are also showing steady progress. Honeydew has increased from 19% (winter) and 31% (summer) in 2022/23 to 33% (winter) and 51% (summer) in 2025/26. Winter‑grown rockmelons have risen from 51% to 69% over the same period. Summer‑grown rockmelons have remained relatively stable, moving from 71% at the start of monitoring to 69% last season, following a peak of 84% in 2024/25.

These results indicate that maturity monitoring and harvest prediction are contributing to more consistent melon quality across the industry.

Nuffield Australia National Conference 2026


The Nuffield Australia National Conference 2026 is heading to Darwin from 8–10 September, bringing together agricultural leaders from across Australia and around the world.

This is Nuffield’s flagship event - where ideas are shared, connections are built, and the future of agriculture is explored.

Why attend?
  • Hear from Nuffield Scholars presenting globally informed research
  • Connect with producers, agribusiness, and industry leaders
  • Gain insights into the challenges and opportunities shaping agriculture
 

Set against the backdrop of the Northern Territory, the conference places you at the centre of key conversations around trade, biosecurity, and innovation in agriculture.

Darwin Convention Centre
8–10 September 2026

Have Your Say on Farm Biosecurity Research


Melons Australia is inviting vegetable and melon growers to take part in a new research project exploring the real-world costs and benefits of on-farm biosecurity. Led by La Trobe University PhD candidate Joseph Sithole, the project is seeking firsthand insight into what biosecurity measures growers are using, which practices are harder to adopt, and the practical challenges involved - including time, labour, cost and disruption. The research will also examine the benefits growers see from biosecurity, such as stronger protection against pests and diseases, improved productivity and better market access.

Grower participation will help build practical, evidence-based recommendations to support stronger biosecurity across the industry and ensure that grower experience is accurately reflected in future decision-making. Participation involves a confidential one-on-one interview of about two hours at a time and place that suits the grower. The project is supervised by experts from La Trobe University and RMCG, with funding provided through Hort Innovation using industry levies and government contributions. Growers interested in contributing can contact Joseph Sithole on +61 49 979 0835or at j.sithole@latrobe.edu.au

Weed Management in Plasticulture – Grower Survey


What are the major weeds in your plasticulture systems, and how are you managing them? Have you heard about Anaerobic Soil Disinfestation (ASD) as a potential weed management option?

This survey is part of the Hort Innovation–funded “Next Generation Weed Management – ASD” project, led by La Trobe University.

We invite farmers who grow crops on mulch to share their insights through this short survey (takes ~5–8 minutes):

Registrations open: Industry Liaison Officer (ILO) workshop | Queensland 18 August


Plant Health Australia (PHA), in conjunction with QDPI, will deliver Industry Liaison Officer (ILO) training in Bundaberg, Queensland on 18 August 2026, registrations are now open.

Why you should attend

PHA’s ILO training is designed to provide participants with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively respond to biosecurity emergencies and support plant industries. By attending the training, you will:
  • learn about the incident management structure and the critical function of an ILO during a response
  • learn practical skills and knowledge to how an ILO can contribute to biosecurity response
  • connect with government stakeholders and plant industries.
 

Participants will gain practical skills and knowledge to effectively represent their industry during biosecurity emergency responses, including understanding incident management structures, the role of an ILO during a response, and opportunities to connect with government stakeholders and plant industries.

Registrations close on 3 August 2026. For further information or assistance with registration, contact the PHA training team at training@phau.com.au.

2026 Australian Melon Conference - Tickets Now Available


Dates: 7-9 October 2026

Locations: Ayr and Townsville, QLD

Contact us for exclusive accommodation rates - comms@melonsuastralia.org.au


Contact:

Melons Australia

E: ceo@melonsaustralia.org.au

Copyright © 2026 Melons Australia

All rights reserved.

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