R&D update: Nursery Industry Environmental Scan released
6 September 2024
The recently released August 2024 Nursery Industry Environmental Scan report highlights the resilience and growth potential of the Australian Nursery industry.
Delivered by ACIL Allen under the Nursery Industry Statistics 2020-21(NY21000) program, this resource provides an overview of the sector, offering growers valuable insights that directly impact operations and planning.
Drawing insights from the annual Australian production nursery survey, PESTLE scan, and two focus groups, the scan reveals that while the industry is diverse, and vulnerable to economic downturns and extreme weather, there are significant opportunities ahead.
Supporting 20,000 full-time jobs and contributing $2.5 billion to the economy, the sector is on track to reach $3.2 billion by 2030. This growth is fueled by diverse product offerings and ongoing investments in infrastructure, technology and education.
The situational analysis within the scan provides actionable insights:
- strengths – product diversity and investment in growth
- weaknesses – collaboration challenges, weather vulnerability and rising costs
- opportunities – leveraging environmental, social and governance trends, embracing technological advancements and exploring export markets
- threats –economic instability, climate change, biosecurity risks and increasing regulatory compliance pressures.
The scan shows that to thrive the industry must prioritise:
- workforce development
- sustainable practices
- technological adoption.
Collaboration will play a crucial role in addressing challenges and capitalising on growth opportunities.
Overall, the scan highlights that industry sentiment remains positive, with growers optimistic about growth driven by urban greening, climate change mitigation and sustained demand for nursery products.
To dive deeper into the industry’s resilience and growth opportunities, read the August 2024 Nursery Industry Environmental Scan at www.greenlifeindustry.com.au/communications-centre/nursery-environmental-scan
