Spanning from late 2017 to mid-2020, this project equipped growers to make data-driven business decisions by providing them access to rigorous industry-level insights on the financial and production performance of the vegetable industry in Western Australia.

This information was acquired over three years of data collection (from 2016/17 to 2018/19) which delivered industry with annual industry benchmark reports.

The project team have released their latest report Western Australia Vegetable Industry Benchmarks for the 2018-19 financial year. This is WA’s third annual report into the financial and production performance of the state’s vegetable grower and provides key insights for industry.

Key industry findings were:

• With a three-year average return on capital of nine (9 per cent) per cent, the vegetable industry is capable of generating positive returns comparable with any other industry or investment type.
• Keeping operating costs as a percentage of income below 65 per cent per cent produces better operating efficiency.
• The most profitable growers were not determined from a particular area, amount of produce growing or vegetable type, but through increased saleable yield and a strong focus on marketing their product.

This project has been funded by Hort Innovation, using the research and development levies listed below and contributions from the Australian Government. Hort Innovation is the grower-owned, not-for-profit research and development corporation for Australian horticulture.

• Vegetable Fund