A REVIVAL in the dried fruit industry is under way, with more than 3000 tonnes of fruit from new plantings under contract to major processor Sunbeam.
The Australian Dried Fruits Association annual growers forum at Mildura this week heard this season's crop was down to a little more than 14,000 tonnes, but prices remained strong - Sunbeam paid $1890/t for currants and $1975/t for sunmuscats.
Sunbeam fruit supply general manager Chris Ellis said four separate rain events made the harvest a challenge and affected quality.
The majority of sultanas and sunmuscats were graded as brown fruit, with only 9 per cent of sultanas and 2 per cent of sunmuscats making the grade as light fruit.
Sunbeam chief operating officer Richard Findlay said the company had offered contracts to new suppliers for more than 3000 tonnes of dried fruit from new plantings which were due to start producing a crop in the next three years.
Mr Findlay said several agricultural sectors continued to struggle but it was "a good time to be in dried fruit''.
He declined to discuss possible prices for next season's fruit.
