New tool empowers growers to tap $1bn productivity opportunity

A new tool designed to unlock productivity potential for Australian growers has been released by Hort Innovation and the Centre for International Economics.  

Created as part of the Factors Impacting Horticulture Productivity project, it will give growers an asset that will help them tap into the $1 billion in additional annual value added identified in the report. 

The custom-built excel modelling tool allows horticulture businesses to explore productivity solutions tailored to their own operations.  

Brett Fifield, CEO at Hort Innovation said about the tool: “This modelling tool is an important asset for growers as it provides a practical, scenario-based modelling framework for growers to assess how innovation adoption can impact productivity on their farms.”  

“Accessible and adaptable, the tool aims to help Australian horticulture growers make informed decisions about future investments and operational changes.” 

The tool, released as part of a broader Productivity project can also be used to quantify specifics around labour, supply chain and technology, and model growth acceleration across the four key productivity drivers highlighted by the report: building capability in production cost analysis, automating data collection, harnessing AI-driven insights, and embracing mechanisation and automation at scale. 

To access the tool, visit: www.horticulture.com.au/ha24004