The Hort Stats Handbook is the leading resource for Australian horticulture statistics and market information. It is an analysis that combines all available data on production, international trade, processing volumes and fresh market distribution to produce statistics on more than 70 horticultural categories. The latest edition of the Handbook was released in February 2022, unpacking the sector’s performance during 2020/21.

The latest Hort Stats Handbook has officially been launched, offering the most comprehensive and contemporary data available on all sectors of the Australian horticulture industry in one easy-to-read guide.

The Handbook, developed by FreshLogic and funded by Hort Innovation, features more than 470 pages of information drawn from several supply chain sources, including international trade statistics and industry peak bodies. It includes data on more than 70 horticultural products including fruit, nuts, vegetables, nursery, turf and cut flowers.

Top 3 highlights

• Despite the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, production volume and value remained relatively stable in 2020/2021.
• Fresh export value decreased by 14 per cent and fresh export volume decreased by eight per cent, which can be linked to the impacts of COVID-19 and global trade disruptions from key markets for some commodities.
• Fresh Supply into the retail and food service sectors accounts for around 59 per cent of farm-gate volume, but has a slightly higher value than the farm-gate value of horticulture production.

Top 3 highlights

• Vegetable production increased in volume (three per cent) but reduced slightly in value (less than one per cent).
• Vegetable value and volume into the food service sector increased by six per cent and slightly reduced in value and volume into the retail sector. This can be linked to a correction from the first year of the pandemic, where there was a reduction in value and volume into the food service sector and an increase in value and volume of vegetables in the retail sector.
• Fresh vegetable exports were a strong performer in horticulture exports – increasing in volume and only slightly reducing in value – while horticulture exports were significantly impacted by COVID-19 and global trade conditions.

Case studies 

Top 3 highlights

• Carrots were a strong performer in 2020/21, with production volume increasing by two per cent and value increasing by 15 per cent. This is a different story than many vegetable crops where the volume produced increased, but the overall farm-gate value decreased.
• Carrot exports continued to grow, with over 100k tonnes exported in 2020/21 at a value close to $100 million.
• The supply of carrots into the retail and food service sectors remained relatively stable, but the value of this produce increased significantly (approximately 20 per cent).

Top 3 highlights

• Broccoli and baby broccoli production increased by five per cent in volume, but decreased by 10 per cent in value.
• Broccoli and baby broccoli exports experienced a significant decrease in 2020/21, though was starting at a lower base than more mature vegetable exporting crops.
• Supply of broccoli and baby broccoli per capita increased, which reflects the increase in supply to the retail and food service sector.

Top 3 highlights

• Onion production increased slightly in 2020/21 by three per cent, but farm-gate value decreased by 17 per cent.
• Onion exports increased in volume by 23 per cent, but the value of total onion exports remained relatively steady.
• Onion supply into the retail and food service sectors reduced in volume and value in 2020/21.

Find out more

To access Hort Innovation’s Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook for vegetables, please click here.

The Handbook’s interactive dashboard is suitable for viewing on desktop computers and mobile phones.

Australian Horticulture Statistics Handbook 2018- 19 to 2020-21 is a whole-of-horticulture project that has been funded by Hort Innovation using industry levies and contributions from the Australian Government.

Project Number: HA18002