Australia’s international berry conference Berry Quest 2025 has been held in Tasmania, showcasing the latest innovations and discussing key issues for the industry including growing techniques, packaging, marketing, export development, biosecurity labour.

Organised by Berries Australia, BerryQuest was a four-day event which attracted more than 500participants from around Australia and internationally, included two days of farm visits to some of Tasmania’s key fruit growing regions and operators.

Tasmanian Berries managing director Andrew Terry (a board member of both Berries Australia and Fruit Growers Tasmania) says it was “great to host this event in Tasmania and we welcomed the opportunity to showcase our industry to the rest of Australia.” 

Fruit Growers Tasmania chief executive Peter Cornish says his organisation also welcomed the event being held in Tasmania as it was recognition of the important contribution Tasmanian growers make to the national industry.

“Tasmania grows exceptional quality berries, due in no small part to the growing conditions, clean water, cool climate, and long slow growing seasons with very little pest pressure, “Peter explains.

“This is evident by the fact a number of the large corporate fruit producers choose to grow berries here,” he says.

Tasmania produces more than a third of the nation’s raspberries and blackberries and is the second largest producing state for blueberries.

“Due to our seasonality we are a vital part of supplying quality fruit into interstate markets, and we will play an important role in supplying export markets in the future given our pest free area status from fruit flies,” Peter adds.

“Berry production makes up more than 60 per cent of the Tasmanian fruit industry, contributing $200 million in farmgate value,” he says.

The Tasmanian fruit industry employs more than 10,000 people, with many of those working on berry farms and packhouses during the season.

Peter says the conference was an opportunity to discuss with Canberra and industry leaders a range of issues pertinent to Tasmanian growers, including the importance of the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme and the need for immediate changes to improve the freight cost disadvantage for berry growers who have invested heavily in production here.

“There is a range of issues of concern to growers, and the Tasmanian Freight Equalisation Scheme is an important one for all businesses that have a berry growing operation in Tasmania.”