Australia's $18b fresh food sector leaves a sour taste
By Stephanie Gardiner
Australia’s fruit, vegetable and nut sector is worth a record $18.4 billion, but frustrated growers say supermarkets and big business are getting most of the gains.
The horticulture sector hit the record production value in the year to June 2025, producing 6.9 million tonnes of fruit, vegetables and nuts.
Fruit was the market leader at $7.3 billion, with citrus reaching its highest farmgate value of more than $1.2 billion, according to Hort Innovation’s statistics released on Wednesday.
Vegetables also hit a new high at $6 billion, driven by growth in potatoes, tomatoes, capsicums, lettuce and cucumbers.