Measuring the impact of investments

Each year Hort Innovation engages independent consultants to evaluate the impact of levy-funded R&D investments. This involves looking at a random sample of projects completed in the previous financial year, plus a specific look at a selection of industry-specific Hort Innovation Funds. In 2022, Hort Innovation also began evaluating Hort Frontiers projects completed in the past three years to our suite of impact assessment work for the first time.

The results for the Horticulture impact assessment program 2020/21 to 2022/23 (MT21015) have recently been released. This project evaluates a random sample of 15 investments, all completed in the previous financial period, which are selected to be representative of Hort Innovation’s overall R&D portfolio.

The results:

• 4.3 to 1 average benefit-to-cost ratio of the investments
• 83 individual positive impacts directly generated by the sampled projects
• $94.2 million estimated value of benefits the sampled projects are expected to generate over 30 years (in present value terms) from an investment value of $21.9 million.

Project Spotlight: Table grape export readiness and market access

From 2017 to 2020, this investment continued industry work on market access and development. Delivered by the Australian Table Grape Association (ATGA), the project provided a point of contact for growers, exporters and others looking for expert industry advice about the export of Australian table grapes.

During the project's timeframe, the table grape industry experienced a 43 per cent increase in export volume, a 65 per cent increase in export value and a 67 per cent increase in unit price.

The impact assessment found the project had a 17.1 to 1 benefit-cost-ratio and identified several benefits, including:

• Sustainably increased production due to increased export demand and improved market access for producers.
• Maintenance of existing export markets via relationship management
• Grower cost savings in the facility export registration process, attributable to the projects' rollout of ATGA registration software
• Increased capacity and understanding of export markets and trade negotiation
• Increased contribution to regional community socioeconomic wellbeing from an expanding table grape industry.

Hort Innovation will share more information about the industry fund-specific and Hort Frontiers impact assessments when available.

For further information on Hort Innovation's impact assessment work, contact sarah.cumpston@horticulture.com.au.