AUSTRALIAN Macadamia Society (AMS) productivity development officer, Robbie Commens, believes professionalism is the key to a long-term future for macadamia growers.
In his presentation to growers at the MacGroup Food Heroes field day in Bundaberg, Mr Commens said the industry was experiencing an incredibly rare circumstance in agriculture where an increase in price has accompanied an increase in production.
"Let's pause for a moment, realise the opportunity the industry has and take that long-term, professional focus going forward," he said.
"We want professional growers and professional macadamia businesses.”
Mr Commens said it wasn't particularly about the size of orchards but encouraged tree owners to ask themselves if they were a professional grower or a recreational grower.
"The thing professional growers have in common, is a mindset," he said.
"They've got that long-term business focus; they review data; look at what the possible scenario is going to be; develop a strategy and put it into action."
Mr Commens said part of that professional vision is about thinking beyond just snacking consumers and embracing the global crop.
"We want more muesli bars, we want more ice-cream, we want less of a reliance on the kernel snack market," he said.
