New post-harvest technology could double the storage life of cauliflowers and open up exciting new markets for the Western Australian produce.

The technology, developed by CSIRO Plant Industry and tested in conjunction with the Western Australia Department of Agriculture and the Warren Cauliflower Group, will be trialled this week on a shipment of cauliflowers to Singapore.

“The post-harvest technology allows for storage of cauliflowers to be extended from 14 days currently to about 30 days,” says CSIRO Plant Industry project leader Dr Mark Gibberd.

“Earlier experimental trials showed quality was also maintained when the cauliflowers were removed from storage, adding to the effectiveness of the technology.”

Department research officer Rachel Lancaster said if the project was successful, the potential existed to export cauliflowers by ship to more distant markets such as the Middle East.

“At present, 95 per cent of Western Australia’s cauliflower exports are shipped to Singapore and Malaysia because of the proximity of the markets. Shipment takes about six days,” she said.

Ms Lancaster said substantial testing of the post-harvest technology, had been conducted over the past three years  at CSIRO Plant Industry’s Merbein laboratories in Victoria. 

“A small scale test was conducted earlier this year in May at the Department’s Manjimup Horticultural Research Institute with encouraging results,” she said.

“The cauliflowers were in storage for 29 days and when removed, were of good quality.

“The next stage is to assess the shipment of cauliflowers to Singapore in a refrigerated container.

“Some cauliflowers in the test shipment will have been in storage using the new technology for 29 days and will be compared to cauliflowers in the same shipment which have been stored for less time.”

Ms Lancaster and Dr Gibberd will travel to Singapore to meet the container on arrival and assess the quality of the cauliflowers after shipping.