Hort Innovation Project Targets Crop Protection Access Risks

 A new national initiative is aiming to address growing uncertainty around access to critical crop protection tools for Australian horticulture producers.

Hort Innovation says tightening global regulation, market scrutiny and policy change are making it harder for growers to maintain reliable access to key chemicals.

More than 70 per cent of horticulture production value is reliant on crop protection products, meaning any disruption can have significant impacts on productivity and profitability.

The project will bring together regulators, industry, retailers and chemical experts to develop a new intelligence framework identifying where products are at risk and where alternatives may be needed.

Hort Innovation General Manager of Trade and Biosecurity R&D, Dr Mila Bristow, says the work is about helping industry anticipate risks earlier and make more informed investment decisions.

Growers, including macadamia producer Simon Andreoli, say improved visibility of future product availability will be critical for planning, cost control and maintaining yields.

The project will also deliver a whole-of-horticulture chemical vulnerability report to guide future research and development priorities.