While the development of robotic harvesting continues and migrant labor tax laws are in the crosshairs of Australia's produce industry, a grower-owned nonprofit has commissioned a research project to find working solutions to the country's labor supply challenges. 

Horticulture Innovation Australia (HIA) decided to commission the project in a bid to bolster the long-term growth of the nation's AUD$3.3 billion (US$2.54 billion) vegetable industry.

To be led by labor expert Dr. Joanna Howe of the University of Adelaide’s Law School, the project will evaluate the labor needs of the vegetable industry, review the existing framework regarding the role of temporary migrants in the industry and propose innovative solutions for addressing vegetable industry worker shortages.

HIA chief executive officer John Lloyd said the vegetable industry was critical to Australia's development and food security into the future, and therefore solutions to labor issues must be found.

"The almost 5000 vegetable operations across Australia produce $3.3 billion of nation’s Gross Domestic Product making them a vital contributor of the nation’s economy," Lloyd said.

He said while robotic equipment, such as the Ladybird, was under development to help growers find efficiencies, researchers were still a while away from releasing technology that would harvest vegetables.

"While there has been a lot of discussion of late about labour shortages within the farming industries, little has been done to research the true extent of the problem including genuine labour supply solutions for the vegetable industry," he said.

"Through this project, which is expected to be complete in December, we expect to uncover tangible solutions to labour shortages – whether those be training initiatives, policy recommendations, new technologies or all of the above."

Lloyd said one of the first actions in the project was to conduct a national survey of vegetable growers throughout May to help establish an evidence base for reform.

He said the project, which is funded through the vegetable levy and the Australian Government, is just one aspect of HIA's efforts to build a globally competitive, innovative, resilient and profitable vegetable industry.

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