The national programme is being run in partnership with the US department of agriculture to benefit all stone and top fruit industries from growers through to processors in setting research priorities. Once these priorities are set, the project will work with USDA to gain federal funding.

The project's work could prove crucial in light of World Apple Report and World Apple & Pear Association warnings recently about the increasingly competitive global food market and the challenges facing the sector.

Specific initiatives already being investigated include creating more efficient ways to automate orchard and fruit handling, optimising fruit quality, nutritional value and safety and delivering rural digital information technologies.

USApple research representatives will meet with USDA researchers later this month to work on specific national research goals.

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