Almonds, tomatoes, potatoes, capsicum and citrus have topped South Australia’s horticulture industry in terms of farm gate value in 2014/15.
The state’s horticulture industry’s total farm gate value hit A$1bn in 2014/15, with strong growth potential, according to the president of the Horticulture Coalition of SA (HCSA) Susie Green.
For the first time, HSCA has collaborated with South Australian government agency the Primary Industries and Regions SA (PIRSA) to undertake data collection across the state, which produces some 50 horticultural crops.
“Having this information at out finger tips about the size and value of our industry is very important,” Green told Fruitnet. “It offers the information we need for industry management of effective promotions and advocacy at government levels, while giving government bodies a feel for the size of our industry.”
This data also highlights where growth is occurring, such as in the almond industry, which has shown strong growth both in production volumes and price.
“Horticulture is not only delivering economic benefits to the state; it is delivering high quality, healthy, fresh produce to South Australians,” Green said. “The health benefits that daily consumption of fresh fruit and vegetables delivers to us all is immeasurable and we are fortunate to have so much of our produce growth right on our doorstep.”
HCSA is looking to build on the information collected, working with PIRSA to cover statistics from export values to employment figures, which Green said will further open opportunities fro growth within South Australia’s horticulture industry.
“We are operating on a global platform and we need to work collaboratively to perform on a global stage,” Green said.
The information from the 2014/15 report will be distributed among HCSA’s 14 member groups, which includes the state’s Apple & Pear Growers Association and Citrus Australia (SA Region) among others.
