Australia’s berry industry has gone through a period of significant growth in recent years; production grew strongly to over a billion dollars in farmgate value in 2019/20. While exports experienced solid growth, domestic consumption remains the primary market at over 95 percent. Growth in production has seen berries become more readily available on supermarket shelves; however, it has also had the longer-term impact of pushing prices lower as supply catches up with demand.
Looking forward, with the new production capacity of around 12 percent of total current production expected to bear fruit in the coming years, the development of new market access opportunities remains crucial to the berry industry’s value proposition.
Average growth of 9 percent per year over the past 10 years has seen Australian berry production almost double in that time – making it one of the highest value horticulture sectors in the country. With production spread up and down the eastern seaboard, with raspberries focused down south and strawberries and blueberries up north, it is a large and diverse market.
Source: bluenotes.anz.com