What was it all about?

This investment explored the feasibility of alternative methodologies for the collection of  wholesale market price information relating to the Australian vegetable industry.

This study provided a review of the current market price reporting system as well as systems operating internationally and for other Australian agricultural commodities. Several alternative wholesale market price collection models were identified and evaluated against the current system.

The following alternative data collection options were evaluated in terms of feasibility:

• Third person cloud-based data collection and sharing
• First person cloud-based data collection and sharing
• Accessing data from credit services
• Accessing data from accounting software
• Strengthening current system

The results did not identify a feasible method of obtaining accurate price data and provided a pathway for strengthening the current system through collaboration with key stakeholders.

A recommendation was proposed to trial strengthening the current system through collaboration, without committing to any ongoing arrangements. This trial was undertaken through project Vegetable market price reporting pilot program (VG16084).