Australia’s horticultural sector has seen production value grow to $17 billion, according to Hort Innovation
Hort Innovation has released its latest figures, revealing the nation’s total horticultural production value reached $17 billion in 2023-24, marking a 4.3 per cent increase year on year.
This was prompted by a strong season where fruit production values reached record highs, while export values also reached a record high.
Australia’s horticultural production value increase can be attributed to a significant increase in production volume, which increased by 6.6 per cent, to 6.89 million tonnes.
Export volumes rose by 8.7 per cent, export values reached a record high of near $3 billion, led by almonds, citrus, macadamias, avocados, and summer fruit.
Citrus broke a new record reaching more than $1 billion in value for the first time, according to the Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2023-24.
The production of almonds and macadamias also rose significantly during the year, increasing by 63.3 and 94.1 per cent respectively.
“These figures demonstrate the incredible resilience and capability of Australian growers,” Hort Innovation CEO Brett Fifield says.
“From driving export growth to meeting local demand, our horticulture industry has once again proven its strength as a cornerstone of our agricultural economy.
“This year’s results reflect a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and quality production, which position Australia as a competitive force globally.
“While these are strong numbers, it’s important to also remember Australian horticulture is facing historic highs when it comes to productions costs like labour, energy, capital and inputs like fertiliser.
“Our growers, industry partners, and research bodies have worked together to achieve these outcomes. Whether it’s adopting new technologies, expanding into export markets, or meeting sustainability goals, this success is a collective achievement.”
Berry nice
The 2023-24 season was a successful one for the berry industry, with Oz Group Co-Op CEO James Kellaway thankful for a “great season” after two less than ideal seasons prior.
The co-op consists of about 150 farmers who grow the berries, with the co-op then packing and marketing them – something which Kellaway says helps with collaboration, coordination and establishment of critical mass.
Blueberries consist of about 75 per cent of the co-op’s total growth, with blackberries and raspberries making up the remainder.
A strong season for supply, with a “record number” of blueberry trays produced, was complemented by additional demand thanks to an increasing diversification of product use.
“The product is no longer seen as solely a meal ingredient,” Kellaway says.
“We see great consumption 24/7 as a snacking product as well and we’re getting a higher reach and frequency for our product in terms of purchasing behaviour.
“It has great shelf space and positioning at the point of sale so it’s really front and centre on shoppers’ minds as soon as they enter the store.
“Supply has been good and demand is building, so we see a good upward trend in this product over the longer term.”
Crucial to the product’s long term growth will be the export market.
Exports currently represent only three to four per cent of total production for the co-op, Kellaway says, and this is to phytosanitary market that do not require import protocols.
Work is being done to develop further markets for Australian berries, he says, and treating these export markets as a long-term partnership will be the key to success.
“We’re knocking on the doors of other markets that require import protocols,” Kellaway says.
“They take a lot longer to get access from a technical perspective and to a certain extent a political perspective as well, but I’ve got great faith that this year we could get access into other protocol markets.
“We’ve done a lot of technical R&D to demonstrate our capacity and capability from quarantine and biosecurity perspective, but we are patient and we will keep progressing our diversification strategy into these other markets.
“It’s critically important that we’re not just looking at trying to dispose of excess products.
“We want to build long term export programmes with these markets, so irrespective of the supply or growing season, we will be supplying these markets.
“We want to build these long-term relationships and they need to be sustainable.
“You can’t be in and out depending on supply.”
Another element of the long-term strategy will be the development of new varieties, beyond the 32 different types of blueberries which are currently grown by co-op members.
Kellaway says it is “critical” that new varieties which are responsive to consumer taste and trends are developed, meeting criteria around size, crunch and flavour.
“This is a long term project and I suppose that’s the benefit of being in the co-op, because all members together can make that investment,” he says.
“We need to keep growing varieties that are going to be responsive to consumer taste and trend, and also in terms of seasonality.
“We just want to make sure that we’re continually addressing those consumer characteristics which they demand.
“We want a good size berry, we want a berry with good crunch and obviously a berry with great taste and flavour and that’s to do principally with sugar.
“Our investment in new genetics and varieties is important as well.
“We do variety trials which are important to showcase and demonstrate different varieties of their characteristics, and more specifically how those varieties will perform in the micro-climate that reflects each grower’s conditions.”