The HAL Crop Production Portfolio incorporates a wide range of on-farm and laboratory based projects involving pre-harvest agronomical research. Although projects specific to plant protection, natural resources, emerging technologies, breeding and biotechnology are covered in separate HAL portfolios, many projects in the Crop Production Portfolio contain aspects of one or more of these areas, and the portfolios link closely together.

The Crop Production Portfolio has seen many changes over the lifetime of Australian Horticultural R&D funding and continues to be affected by various issues, such as those associated with the supply chain, globalisation, climate change, consumer trends and availability of funds. The majority of the investment in this portfolio would be classified as traditional on-farm research. However, the way that industry plans and farms today is being revolutionised, with increasing importance being placed on the use of modern technologies and crop management tools.

From November 2009 the scope of the Crop Production Portfolio will be reduced to include planting design, orchard layout, protected cropping and general orchard and field crop management only. The remaining projects will be allocated to other HAL portfolios as appropriate.