Investment analysis
As seen on the Fund management page, investments specific to the Hort Innovation Almond Fund are guided by the almond Strategic Investment Plan (SIP). The SIP features priority outcome areas that have been identified and agreed upon by the industry, and Hort Innovation works to invest in R&D and marketing initiatives that are aligned to these.
In the below interactive chart, you can see the most up-to-date information on how project expenditure in the Almond Fund is aligned to the SIP outcomes. This reflects project investment across the life of the SIP to date.
How investment expenditure aligns to Strategic Investment Plan outcomes
How specific projects align to Strategic Investment Plan outcomes
Click on the below panels to see which projects in the Almond Fund align to which SIP outcomes. Because some projects address more than one SIP outcome, they may be listed more than once.
Pest and disease damage to almonds has been reduced through enhanced IPM and IDM
Ongoing and completed investments
- Management of Carpophilus beetle in almonds (AL15004)
- Almond minor use permit program (AL16002)
- An integrated pest management program for the Australian almond industry (AL16009)
- Minor use coordinator (MT17007)
- Generation of data for pesticide permit applications in horticulture crops 2019/20 (MT18018)
- Proposed AgVet Collaborative Forum Plant Industry Investment (ST16008)
- An integrated disease management program for the Australian almond industry (AL16005)
- Market access, maintenance and development program (AL17008)
- Strategic Agrichemical Review Process (SARP) – Updates (MT19008)
- PBRI Symposium (ST18003)
A major productivity gain in almond pollinatin in 2022 through a major reduction in bee stocking rates with no loss in pollination efficiency (nut set)
Ongoing and completed investments
- Enhanced National Bee Pest Surveillance Program (MT16005)
- Development of non-destructive methods and systems for the assessment of hive health (PH17001)
- Pollination as a controlling factor in almond yield (AL14004)
- Protecting pollination for the Australian horticultural industry Stage 3 (MT13002)
- Development and implementation of protocols to enable importation of improved honey bee genetics to Australia (MT18019)
- Discovery work for international pollination dispersal options for the Australian almond industry (AL19003)
An almond industry crop production system that supports further efficiencies in Horizon 1 orchards and the development of Horizon 3 orchards and has lifted average industry yield from 3 to 4 tonnes per hectare
Ongoing and completed investments
- Australian almond variety evaluation and commercialisation (AL12015)
- Molecular mapping, nutrition, and value adding of almonds (AL13008)
- Monash Remediation (AL12011)
- Development of high health status mother planting for new Australian almond varietiesBetter tree performance and water use efficiency through root system resilience (AL13009)
- Almond irrigation best practice management (AL17004)
- Managing almond production in a variable and changing climate (AL14006)
- Identifying factors that influence spur productivity in almond (AL14005)
- Almond productivity: Tree architecture and development of new growing systems (AL14007)
- Evaluation of potential prunus rootstocks for almond production – stage 2 (AL16006)
- National almond breeding and evaluation program (AL17005)
- Advanced processing of almonds (AL12003)
An informed industry that adopts R&D outcomes and has the capacity to support current and future industry needs
Ongoing and completed investments
- Australian almond industry innovation and adoption program (AL16001)
- Australia almond industry conferences and field days 2017-2021 (AL16700)
- Almond irrigation best practice management (AL17004)
- 10th Australasian Soilborne Disease Symposium sponsorship (MT17022)
- Almond industry statistics and data collection 2017-2019 (AL16003)
- Horticultural trade data 2017-2019 (MT16010)
- Horticulture trade intelligence reporting 2017-2019 (MT16011)
- Australian almond industry communications program (AL16000)
- Almond study tour (AL16701)
- Engaging leaders in the Australian horticulture industry (LP16001)
- Driving collaboration in Australian horticultural research (MT14055)
- Gulfood 2017 (MT16012)
- Almond industry communications program (AL18001)
- Horticulture trade data (MT19005)
Increased domestic consumption from 16,000 tonnes in 2016 to 27,500 tonnes in 2022
Increased export sales from 64,000 tonnes in 2016 to 110,000 tonnes in 2022
European Union inspections reduced from one in 20 containers to one in 100 containers at destination by 2022
Ongoing and completed investments
- Market development program – Europe (AL16010)
- Research and education of health professionals relating to the health benefits of almond consumption (AL12001)
- Understanding the purchase behaviour of fresh produce consumers (MT13061)
- Consumer behavioural and retail data for fresh produce (MT17015)
- Export – import market intelligence project 2014-2016 (MT14006)
- Food safety in almonds – Stage 2 (AL11009)
- Educating health professionals (AL16007)
- Market access, maintenance and development programs (AL17008 and AL19002)
Expenditure on projects classified as 'enabler' support the broader delivery of the industry’s project investments. Examples of enabler projects include annual reporting and monitoring and evaluation capacity.
More information
The Almond Fund has a dedicated Industry Strategic Partner, details below, who would be more than happy to answer your questions or discuss in more detail the information presented on this page, investments in the Almond Fund and how the investments align with the SIP.
