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Executive Summary
What the report is about
Prunus mume, commonly called mume or Japanese apricot, is a deciduous fruit tree that is grown and used throughout Asia. However mume has not been grown commercially in Australia. This report provides details of agronomic and market research of mume production that will assist in deciding the potential of mume as a new crop in Australia.

Who is the report targeted at?
This report is targeted at, orchardists and food/beverage manufacturers and policy makers who are considering the worth of investment in mume as a potential new crop in Australia.

Background
In Asia, mume is used in a large number of foods, drinks and medicines ranging from pickles and beverages to ice-cream and shampoo. Mume products are highly esteemed in Japan for their medicinal and health promoting properties. The fruit are never consumed fresh due to their high acid content. The three main mume products are umeboshi (Japanese pickled mume), umeshu (a Japanese mume liqueur) and salty plum (dried and salted mume).

Aims/Objectives
This project investigated market and agronomic aspects of mume production that will assist in development of an Australian mume industry. The objectives were to (1) identify current domestic and export markets and determine attractiveness and competitiveness of Australian mume products on those markets; and (2) study the adaptation, cropping and agronomy of mume under Australian environments.

Methods used
Mume market research was conducted by literature searches and interviews with producers, manufacturers and distributors of mume products in Australia and Japan.

The adaptation of mume under Australian conditions was studied by establishing and evaluating mume cultivar trials at research stations of the Queensland Department of Primary Industries &Fisheries and at grower properties. Five mume cultivars, imported from Japan and Taiwan, were evaluated in these experiments. The trials involved statistically replicated experiments at a temperate (Applethorpe) and a sub-tropical (Nambour) location and five observational trials.

Results/Key findings
During this project mume cultivars were identified that are adapted for fruit production in subtropical and temperate regions of Australia. The Taiwan cultivars Daching and Ellching produced heavy crops at the subtropical location of Nambour in Queensland. These two cultivars plus Ianjy have been established at a commercial plantation in north Queensland. The orchard will produce its first crop for harvest in October 2006. This is the first commercial planting of mume in Australia and represents a significant achievement of the project. Fruit from this orchard is to be processed by the project commercial partner. The success of this enterprise will provide a guide to the adaptation of mume in Australia’s subtropics.

The Japanese cultivars Nankou and Bungo produced moderate crops at the temperate location of Applethorpe in Queensland despite flowering in July and August when freezing temperatures were experienced at the trial site. Nankou and Bungo failed to crop at Nambour due to insufficient chilling to break dormancy. These cultivars are not suited for growing in sub-tropical locations.

The market research in this project concentrated on the main processed mume products (salty plum, umeboshi and umeshu). The key findings for these three products were as follows: Salty plum is a highly dried, salted and sweetened mume snack of Chinese origin. The Australian domestic salty plum market size was estimated at 25–30 tonnes, with a market value of $325,000– 390,000 in 2004, and stable or declining. Shortages of product with legally acceptable additives were identified, but are likely to be met by emerging Chinese and Taiwanese products. There are very small potential niches in Australian markets for sweeter less salty products, better packaging and labelling, product information and store tastings. However, Australian product would need to compete with Chinese salty plum being imported at around $10 a kilogram and retailing at around $15 a kilogram, so is unlikely to be price-competitive long term. The literature search indicated Australian product could not compete with most countries with mume industries and/or markets.

Umeboshi is a Japanese mume pickle that is made by a complex process of salting, pressing, drying, re-imbibing and flavouring. The Australian domestic market for umeboshi was estimated as only 3.25 tonnes with a value of around $130,500 in 2004. There is a tiny market for ume paste (chopped umeboshi). The main markets are Japanese residents and visitors. There is a minor opportunity to supply the Japanese tourist market through hotels in Cairns and Sydney with a lower priced product.

There is also a small emerging market of Australians shopping at health food stores, where a low-salt Australian product, preferably organic, could compete. However, prices have fallen to around $17 a kilogram with the introduction of Chinese umeboshi, indicating increasing price-competition. Japan is the only substantial market for umeboshi. Japanese people consumed around 89,000 tonnes of umeboshi in 2004-5, of which half was imported as finished product or as salted sun-dried ‘shiroboshi’ from China for finishing in Japan. Demand has stabilised and is not expected to grow. Umeboshi is used as a health food and preservative. There are potential markets for a high quality Australian product in consumers seeking both quality and price, and older people and young women who are particularly health and food safety-conscious. Australian umeboshi is likely to need Japanese branding to access retail outlets in Japan. Options include supplying dried salted mume to manufacturers for finishing, or finished mume to repackers to pack and distribute under Japanese brands. As the industry gains experience and capacity to supply, the food service sector and supermarket chains also have potential, most likely for finished products under their house brands. Australian product would need to compete on quality and price, between high quality Japanese product and low-priced Chinese imports. Key quality attributes of Japanese umeboshi are a finished product with large size, soft flesh and skin, and use of high quality salt and natural flavourings.

Umeshu is a mume liqueur, sometimes called plum wine. The Australian domestic market was around 6,060 litres in 2003, with a value estimated at $121,000. Market development by Japanese manufacturers has resulted in increasing demand from Japanese, Chinese and Australian consumers, with supply shortages occurring in 2006, and an expanding product range, including a Chinese product. Retail prices in Australia are around $15 to $25 a litre. Japanese manufacturers have expressed interest in developing Australian product from premium cultivars such as Nankou and Bungo for the domestic market. The Japanese market is roughly estimated at 62 million litres of umeshu and more than 11 million litres of umeshu mixed with soda, with strongly growing demand, production, product range, and supply shortages due to increased promotion and competition following deregulation of liquor retailing in 2003. Consumption trends towards lighter sweeter low alcohol drinks indicate continuing strong demand for umeshu, particularly from young women and the health-conscious. Most umeshu retails in Japan at A$6 to 17 a litre. To compete against emerging Chinese products, Australian umeshu would need to be superior quality or differentiated. Quality attributes are regarded as cultivars with desired flavour, type of alcohol base, years of maturation and low chemical residues.

Implications for relevant stakeholders
The importance of this fruit in Asia has implications for the development of mume in Australia.

1. Despite being hardly known in Australia mume is the basis of large Asian manufacturing industries and is highly regarded for its health properties. It is used mostly in three traditional products that are centuries old, but also has other uses in traditional and emerging products. The traditional nature of mume products means that initial choice of cultivar is likely to favour Nankou. The Nankou cultivar is used extensively in the Wakayama prefecture of Japan which is renowned for its production of high quality mume products.
2. Umeshu was identified as a mume product that could be produced in Australia with some potential for domestic and export sales and expressions of interest by commercial beverage manufacturers in development of this market. Supplying the Japanese market will require extensive communication and co-operation with importers. Future development of umeshu enterprises should involve the experience of commercial manufacturers that have Japanese marketing linkages and expertise.
3. The identification of mume cultivars that are adapted for fruit production in sub-tropical and temperate locations of Australia will enable investors to select cultivars suited to various potential growing regions. The observational trials have provided initial information on cultivar selection but should be confirmed via the randomised trials. The randomised trials established during this project will mature over the next 3 years and produce data that will allow verification of these initial observations.
4. The health benefits of mume may provide the basis for development of a new group of consumers of mume products in Australia. There is current research from China and Japan that is examining the anti-cancer, antioxidant and blood fluidity properties of mume products.

• Market research identified a small but growing domestic market for umeshu in which an Australian product would be moderately competitive.
• Umeshu is a growing market and therefore represents a more plausible market to enter compared to the stable umeboshi and salty plum markets.
• Australian production systems are regarded as low chemical input and environmentally responsible compared with those of China; It is recommended that development of the umeshu market be further investigated using an industry partner with experience in umeshu production, production facilities in Australia and established supply outlets in Australia and Japan. Use of such an industry partner will ensure an efficient route between product development and consumption.

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