Completed project
Almond Centre of Excellence experimental and demonstration orchard (AL19000)
Publication date: March 18, 2025
Delivery Partner: Almond Board of Australia
© 2026 Horticulture Innovation Australia Limited.
The project established a dedicated experimental orchard for research and development for the Australian almond industry. A 60-hectare greenfield site in Loxton, South Australia, was transformed into a state-of-the-art research facility for cutting-edge trials conducted under commercial orchard conditions to ensure practical application.
The Centre of Excellence demonstrates new technologies and practices to the almond industry, and helps enhance the progress and extension of levy-funded projects such as:
Challenge
With almond production expected to exceed 180,000 tonnes by 2030, the rapidly growing Australian almond industry required localised research to enhance yield and efficiency. To remain globally competitive, advancements in water use, pollination and labour efficiency were essential.
Response
The project created an independent research orchard, free from commercial constraints, to accelerate trials and innovation. The Almond Centre of Excellence serves as a hub for world-class research, enabling industry stakeholders to test and demonstrate new technologies and production practices that enable the Australian almond industry to sustainably compete in the global market.
Benefit
The facility has gained widespread industry support, hosting over 20 research projects and serving as a premier site for Australian horticultural research. It enables studies on topics such as soil amendments, rootstock and varietal performance, tree spacing, and nutrition management.
Since reaching maturity in 2022, the orchard has hosted six major events and welcomed over 600 delegations from various organisations.
Key features of the facility include:
This project was a strategic levy investment in the Hort Innovation Almond Fund
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