Apple and Pear Australia Limited (APAL) have received a A$636,970 (US$577,286) grant from the federal government to help identify energy savings in the industry's orchards and packing sheds, the ABC reports.
APAL has announced its intention to use the funds to audit fruit growers and determine available methods of minimising costs.
Annie Farrow, a spokesperson for APAL, identified electricity as the second largest cost for growers after staff wages, with operating cool rooms, powering irrigating and lighting packing sheds necessary aspects of their work.
'If you take all those energy sinks, there is enormous potential if we identify specific areas, new technologies, behavioural changes, that growers and packing shed operators can make changes,” Farrow told the ABC.
'We estimate a savings potential of at least 20 per cent.'
The audits will occur in ten regions across Australia, with participants and seminars conducted in the coming 18 months through partnerships between APAL, Summerfruit Australia and Cherry Growers Australia.
The government funding announcement for APAL comes just after Citrus Australia were allocated A$50,000 (US$45,700) for a programme to boost their trade in Asia.
