What was it all about?

This project measured the environmental impacts of Australian onion production and developed a national benchmark that growers can use to compare their environmental performance with industry averages.

The benchmark was developed using a Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a recognised method for measuring environmental impacts across production. The study found the average cradle-to-gate carbon footprint of Australian-grown onions is 0.34 kg CO₂-e per kilogram of packed onions.

Growers contributed production data to identify the main sources of emissions across onion production. Participating businesses received individual snapshot reports comparing their results with the national average. The project also produced an LCA report, a plain-English summary featuring four case studies, and a recorded industry workshop.

The project addressed increasing demand from consumers, retailers and supply chain partners for clear information about the environmental impacts of food production. It also provided onion growers with a consistent national approach for measuring and comparing environmental performance.

Key sources of emissions included disposal of rejected onions, on-farm fuel use, fertiliser and soil amendments, and packaging materials. The findings, recommendations and case studies help growers understand where emissions occur and identify opportunities to consider practical improvements within their businesses.

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Download the lifecycle analysis report here. The nutshell report on the carbon footprint of Australian onions is available here.