The project aimed to produce an export development plan, through a collaborative process with industry, which would act as a model for other horticultural industries to follow in future attempts to identity and create export opportunities. The lettuce industry was chosen for this study because it represented a sector of the vegetable industry with great export potential but poor export performance in the last decade.

The project employed a combination of economic analysis, agronomic research and partnerships with private sector processors, growers, and shippers to develop and enact a plan which resulted in new production, packing, handling, and exporting technologies being identified and tested. The research team showed how innovative approaches to production and marketing can produce new opportunities for industry. It also proved that a collaborative approach to problem solving with goodwill from all sectors of industry can work, but it requires growers and companies to break free of the shackles of a ‘competition at all costs’ mentality.

For industry outcomes of this project to be fully realised, significant investment decisions need to be made by the private sector in the supply chain and further R&D work is required to support implementation of the new technologies.

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