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Horticulture home

Fruit, vegetables and nuts make up South Australia's $2.5 billion horticulture industry. In South Australia, it includes apples, pears, cherries, oranges, potatoes, onions, tomatoes, peaches, apricots, cucumbers, capsicums, strawberries, almonds and flowers.

Potatoes and citrus are worth the most in gross food revenue for South Australia.

Many regions across the state have a suitable climate for growing specific crops. The Adelaide Hills region is suited to growing apples, pears, cherries and strawberries. The Riverland is renowned for its citrus, stonefruit and almonds. The Adelaide Plains, around Virginia, is the state’s primary greenhouse area, producing tomatoes, capsicums and cucumbers.

Facts and figures

  • Citrus fruit is the largest horticultural export in South Australia with approximately 70,000 tonnes exported each year.
  • There are about 400 citrus growers in South Australia.
  • South Australia produces 1200 tonne of avocados each year and about 200 ,000kg of fresh mushrooms each week.
  • A local South Australian grower was the first to harvest lettuce directly into specially designed bags and then vacuum cooled to maintain freshness.
  • There are more types of tomatoes sold in supermarkets than any other type of fruit or vegetable.
Crop
Gross food revenue
($ Million)
Percentage
Potatoes
413
17%
Citrus
348
14%
Apples and pears
281
11%
Other fruit (avocados, melons, strawberries, other berries, and pistachios)
211
9%
Tomatoes
154
6%
Cucumbers and capsicums
136
6%
Other heavy vegetables (onions, carrots, pumpkin, and beetroot)
177
7%
Brassicas (broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussel sprouts, lettuce, and spinach)
106
4%
Mushrooms
104
4%
Almonds
68
3%
Stonefruits
79
3%
Olives
56
2%
Other vegetables (celery, spring onions, sweetcorn, zucchini, marrows, squashes, and parsnips)
72
3%
Grapes
27
1%
Apricots
26
1%
Cherries
20
1%
Other horticulture
186
8%
Total horticulture
2464

Horticulture's contribution to South Australia's gross food revenue

In 2010-11 horticulture industries (excluding wine grapes) contributed $2,464 million to South Australia’s Gross Food revenue (see table at right). This comprised around 18 per cent of the total food revenue contribution of $13.7 billion.

Horticulture information within Primary Industries and Regions South Australia

Citrus Growers Fund

Olive Industry Fund

Biosecurity SA provides information and advice on the following areas relevant to horticulture:

Rural Solutions SA provides onsite business and technical advice plus courses and benchmarking analysis for horticulture businesses.

South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) provides research services that identify and develop new products and technologies for foods, ingredients and other plant products.

Further information

Contact information.

Download the Horticulture in South Australia brochure (PDF 1.8 MB).