THE Australian almond industry – and its Victorian engine room – has grown a staggering twentyfold since 2003.
Even more astonishing, export demand for our almonds has more than doubled in the past decade.
On the latest figures, Victoria produces 60 per cent of Australia’s almonds, much of that volume in Sunraysia.
The industry is growing fast, but not fast enough to keep up with demand, with experts tipping the industry needs another 50,000 tonnes to catch up.
Now the almond growers and Hort Innovation are joining forces to prime the Australian almond sector for further growth amid the 118 per cent rise in overseas demand – from exporting 52,795 tonnes in 2013 to 115,049 tonnes in 2022.
Part of that alliance is a $7 million injection delivered through Hort Innovation, and led by the Almond Board of Australia, to increase almond exports by a minimum 50,000 tonnes in the next three years – and push export sales beyond $1 billion.
Hort Innovation chief executive Brett Fifield says this investment represents the almond industry’s strongest international presence yet.
Almond Board of Australia chief executive Tim Jackson says the almond industry has to better prepare for the future.
“The ABA has led the industry’s market access and trade development activities for more than two decades and we are ready for the challenge of expanding our export growth,” Mr Jackson said.
“Following the past five years of planting, the production of Australian almonds is forecast to reach 200,000 tonnes by 2025.
“With 59 per cent of Australian almond production exported in 2021-22, trade development programs are a key tool to grow demand for Australian produce in international markets.
“This $7 million program will take the almond industry’s exports to the next level and that’s what this partnership is all about.”
Mr Fifield said on the back of the almond industry’s significant growth in export figures in the past 20 years, “this $7 million investment clearly signals those figures are not slowing down anytime soon”.
He said the program would support the almond industry in its export ambitions through a range of market access and development activities, such as participation in trade shows and missions, educational messaging about health benefits and engagement with key trade stakeholders.
Brendan Sidhu, an almond grower and long-serving ABA director, said developing export opportunities across new, emerging and existing markets, continued to be a core priority for the industry.
“With a significant increase in plantings during the past five years, growers such as myself are looking to our marketers to maximise the return to growers by seeking out the most lucrative markets,” he said.
“Our previous industry trade program has been a pioneer in developing markets in more than 50 countries, so we look forward to building on that track record with the new program.”
