This project is developing a modern, secure, web‑based financial analysis tool to help vegetable, onion and potato growers better understand their business performance and profitability. The tool builds on existing gross margin and benchmarking frameworks and is designed for practical, routine use by growers.

Veg SmartMargins helps growers clearly see their enterprise and whole‑of‑business cost structures. It supports transparent allocation of shared costs across crops and enterprises, and allows growers to test how changes in prices, yields and input costs affect profitability, cash flow and business risk. This supports more informed planning and decision‑making at farm level.

Key activities include the design and development of the online tool, integration of established financial frameworks, testing with growers, and refinement to ensure the tool is intuitive, reliable and relevant to real‑world production systems. Supporting guidance materials are also developed to help growers confidently use the tool.

The expected outcome is improved financial literacy and business insight across the vegetable industry. By providing a trusted, practical financial analysis tool, the project supports stronger business resilience, clearer investment decisions and improved long‑term profitability for growers.

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.

• Onion Fund
• Potato – Fresh Fund
• Potato – Processing Fund
• Vegetable Fund