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The Western Australian (WA) government has welcomed the arrival in China of the first shipment of mainland Australian apples to enter the market.
Bravo apples, developed in Western Australia and branded as Soluna for the global marketplace, have been chosen for the inaugural shipment. The initial 80 tonne consignment is set to unlock a market expected to be worth more than $10 million in the next two years.
With its striking deep-burgundy skin and contrastingly crisp, slow-to-brown white flesh, this sweet eating apple is perfectly positioned to capture the attention of Chinese consumers. The popular variety is also highly regarded for its exceptional nutritional profile, which can help lower the risk of heart disease.
Bravo apples - a cross between Royal Gala and the WA Cripps Red variety - were developed by the Australian National Apple Breeding Program, based at the State's Manjimup Horticulture Research Institute.
More than 50,000 seedlings are being evaluated at Manjimup, where Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) scientists are developing the next generation of unique and tasty varieties suited to WA conditions.
The WA Government recently installed high-tech cold storage technology at the Manjimup facility to support research that improves fruit shelf life and handling to deliver quality fresh products for consumers, while reducing costs and creating market opportunities for industry.
National production of Bravo branded apples continues to build, destined for domestic markets, as well as export under the Soluna brand, including Indonesia, Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates and now China.
Source: WA Gov | Photo: WA Farm Direct
Western Australia recorded a solid result at the 2026 National Wine Show of Australia, with wines from Margaret River prominent among the major award winners and contributing to the state’s overall tally of seven trophies.
A key outcome for the state was that the two wines considered for the Prime Minister’s Trophy for Champion Wine of Show were both from Western Australia. Xanadu’s 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon ultimately received the award, ahead of Evans & Tate’s 2023 Single Vineyard Chardonnay, highlighting the region’s performance across both red and white categories.
Xanadu’s Cabernet Sauvignon also received the James Halliday Trophy for Best Red Wine of Show and the Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy. Evans & Tate’s Chardonnay was awarded the Len Evans Memorial Trophy for Best White Wine of Show, in addition to the Chardonnay Trophy.
WA’s seven trophies were shared across several producers:
- Xanadu 2023 Cabernet Sauvignon – Prime Minister’s Trophy; Best Red Wine of Show; Cabernet Sauvignon Trophy
- Evans & Tate 2023 Single Vineyard Chardonnay – Best White Wine of Show; Chardonnay Trophy
- La Kooki 2025 Chenin Rocks Chenin Blanc – White Varietal Trophy
- Hamelin Bay Wines 2023 Rampant Red – Shiraz Blends Trophy
Margaret River featured strongly in the Cabernet Sauvignon class, with all three finalists, La Kooki, Xanadu and Passel Estate, coming from the region. The outcomes reflect contributions from both established wineries and smaller producers. La Kooki, a first-time exhibitor, won the White Varietal Trophy for its Chenin Blanc. The label is operated by winemakers Glenn Goodall and Eloise Jarvis.
Hamelin Bay Wines also secured a trophy in the Shiraz blends category, adding to the range of Western Australian producers recognised at the show.
Across the competition, several first-time entrants progressed to the finals, including La Kooki, indicating opportunities for newer and smaller producers to compete alongside more established names.
The National Wine Show received 1,085 entries, including 83 first-time exhibitors, making it one of the largest fields in the event’s history. Entry is limited to wines that have already received awards at qualifying regional or capital city shows.
Source and photo: Wines of WA
The DPIRD's 2026 WA Export Roundtable Breakfast Series has successfully commenced, delivering high-impact, strategic and experience-led insights into today's complex global trade landscape to empower WA agrifood and beverage exporters.
Stepping directly into this critical trade dialogue, Roundtable Breakfast #2 (25 June) turns the spotlight on one of the most vital decisions in any export journey: selecting the right market with absolute confidence. This session challenges conventional wisdom by exploring what truly makes an export market durable, and why relying solely on market size and geographic proximity can often mislead businesses. Attendees will dive deep into market fit, demand stability, procurement behavior, and strategic sequencing.
Key themes include:
- Why businesses choose the wrong markets
- What actually makes a market durable
- The operational fit question
- Market sequencing
Discover more event details and book your ticket here.
Source: DPIRD | Image: iStock
Global logistics conditions continue to evolve into a high‑cost, capacity‑constrained and operationally volatile environment, rather than returning to true normality. While supply chains are functioning, exporters are now facing a more complex mix of early peak season demand, congestion spill‑over effects, and ongoing surcharge volatility across both sea and air freight.
For Australian exporters, the key issue isn't availability of cargo space, but reliability and cost predictability, as carrier networks remain under pressure from both demand and operational inefficiencies.
The international shipping landscape is exhibiting signs of an early peak season. This is marked by severe operational constraints that directly affect our export schedules and supply chain stability.
Port congestion across East Asia and Northern Europe has evolved into a 'two-ended problem', where major disruptions at overseas ports are triggering vessel delays for Australian shipments.
Global air cargo spot rates surged by 41% year-on-year in May 2026. However, we're starting to see the first signs of market stabilisation and easing.
Tip for exporters in the current logistics environment
Treat transit times as a planning guide, not a guarantee. Vessel schedule reliability is declining and congestion is increasingly affecting inland transport networks and ports. This means exporters should build extra contingency into delivery schedules.
Where customer commitments are time-critical, consider securing bookings earlier, reviewing alternative routings and maintaining regular communication with logistics providers to minimise the impact of unexpected disruptions.
Source and image: business.gov.au
Following a record year in 2025-26, ABARES is forecasting the value of agricultural production to fall by 5% to $98.3 billion in 2026-27, ($104.5 billion when fisheries and forestry are included).
Agricultural export value is expected to fall, down $7 billion to $74.8 billion in 2026-27 ($79.3 billion including fisheries and forestry exports). This drop in value reflects lower crop production volume and livestock prices resulting from expectations of less favourable seasonal conditions. High fuel and fertiliser costs will continue to pressure growers returns, but the drier seasonal outlook is set to have a greater impact on grower decisions.
ABARES Acting Executive Director David Galeano said that while the Middle East conflict was impacting input prices and weighing on global economic growth, the value of production overall was remaining resilient.
“Farmers’ decisions over the last few months have been shaped heavily by seasonal conditions and gross margins. Despite the headwinds facing the sector, farmers who have received favourable rainfall are making the most of the opportunity.
“However, variable rainfall in summer and autumn has limited area planted to winter crops and pasture growth in some regions. Also, many cropping regions are expected to face drier than average winter conditions.” Mr Galeano said.
Total crop production value is forecast to fall by $4.5 billion in 2026-27, to $50.9 billion. Australian winter crop production is forecast to decline by 21% to 54.5 million tonnes reflecting lower average yields and a fall in area planted.
Livestock and livestock product value is forecast to decline by $1.1 billion in 2026-27 to $47.4 billion, down from a record high in 2025-26, driven by lower prices.
The higher input costs and lower crop and livestock production are expected to impact profits. Average broadacre farm business profits are set to decline by 70% in 2026-27.
The ABARES June 2026 quarter Agricultural Commodities and Australian Crop reports can be viewed here: Agricultural outlook
Source and image: DAFF
Further information
Agribusiness, commercial fishing and aquaculture news from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). If you have any questions or information to share, please email export@dpird.wa.gov.au.
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Important disclaimer
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.
Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), 2026.
