Date Palm Industry Plan

Anthony Hamilton

  • Project code: PRJ-007364

  • Project stage: Closed

  • Project start date: Friday, May 6, 2011

  • Project completion date: Wednesday, June 29, 2011

  • National Priority: NEPI-Feasibility studies and industry literature reviews

Summary

Tony Hamilton will make a one week trip to Gurra Downs and meet with Dave and Anita Reilly. During the one week trip Tony Hamilton will gather information and establish contacts to produce a brief strategic plan for the date industry over the subsequent weeks.

The strategic plan will address the R&D needs of the date industry and how to set about achieving these goals.

In the course of the project Tony Hamilton will become acquinted with the Reillys and their business.

Program

New and Emerging Plant Industries

Research Organisation

Anthony Hamilton

Objective Summary

1. Inform Tony Hamilton (develop an overview of) date industry development to date through Gurra Downs activity, including:
• Location and management requirements for existing germ plasm/trials etc established on behalf of the industry with RIRDC assistance
• Management/maintenance and monitoring history (and needs) for these plantings
2. Develop a list of desirable R&D goals and outcomes for the industry. The development of a self-sustaining industry network/association needs to be included among these.
3. Formulate a brief strategic R&D plan for the industry covering – at least – the next three years:
• Research priorities for the industry – what sort of projects are required to help this industry develop?
• maintaining, measuring, analysing and securing the safety of and industry access to date palm lines that have been acquired
• development of an industry network and association
• defining the Reillys’ potential role in future R&D
• ensuring there are redundancy provisions in case the Reillys exit the industry

4. Also identify other possible contributors (time/resources and/or funding) to the industry and consider how best to draw key R&D players such as SARDI back to playing an active and major role in support of the industry.
5. Finally, consider if there would be any benefits in linking the extension of a date industry, with that of other, climatically/ edaphically similar crops such as pomegranates.