What was it all about?

This project resourced a manager of market information to develop the Citrus Tree Census, an online database that collects and collates plantings data from Australian citrus growers. The database enabled a national plantings report to be produced in 2014.

Communication between the growing and marketing sectors benefits from timely, accurate data, allowing long-term strategic plans to be developed so production can match market requirements. The Citrus Tree Census allows businesses and key stakeholders to have access to up-to-date plantings data and production forecasts to inform decision making.

The industry’s market development team also identified further uses for the Citrus Tree Census. For example, demand from China and other markets that require growers to register their orchards for export has risen substantially in recent years. The Australian Government is charged with auditing the registration process and relied on an antiquated paper-based system. Using the Tree Census as a platform, the Korea China Thailand and Taiwan (KCTT) online export application system was developed.

The KCTT online application system allows growers to register parts or their entire orchard for export to KCTT markets. The system has streamlined the application process and reduced the audit time for the department. The citrus export industry benefited from the development of the online application system allowing exports to start six weeks earlier in 2014.

ACT NOW

• Learn more about how the Citrus Tree Census works in this video from Citrus Australia
  
  
• Look out for invitations to take part in future data collection from Citrus Australia – the Citrus Tree Census usually begins in November each year