Agriculture - National Horticulture Industry Profiles - Tomatoes
Tomatoes
Tomatoes are the second highest value annual crop after potatoes. They had a gross value of $177 m in 1996/97 representing about 4% of the total gross value of Australian horticultural production in that year.
Water use efficiency has increased in recent years with increased adoption of trickle irrigation. Integrated pest management programs, which minimise chemical use through increased pest and disease monitoring and the use of biological control agents, have also been widely adopted in recent years.
Major producing areas
Tomatoes are a temperature-sensitive crop and are susceptible to frost at all stages of growth. Fruit set is also greatly influenced by temperature. These requirements favour growing areas in the temperate slopes and plains, and in the north-east wet/dry tropics and wet subtropical coasts where production is feasible all year round. Queensland accounts for around 76% of fresh market tomato production. The main growing regions in Queensland are around Bowen, Bundaberg, the Lockyer Valley and Stanthorpe. Processing tomatoes are grown as an irrigated summer crop in seven main growing regions: Rochester-Moama (Victoria), Riverina (Victoria), Corop-Colbinabbin (Victoria), Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area (New South Wales), Boort-Kerang (Victoria), Goulburn Valley (Victoria) and in areas of central New South Wales.
Crops produced
| Crop | Area (ha) |
Production (t) |
Value ($m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomatoes (fresh) | 4 490 | 138 930 | 148.2 |
| Tomatoes (processing) | 4 340 | 254 190 | 28.7 |
| Total | 8 830 | 393 120 | 176.9 |
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Major production regions
| Region | Agro-ecological region |
Area (ha) |
Production (t) |
Value ($m) |
% of total crop area |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bowen, Qld | North-east wet/dry tropics | 2 180 | 62 790 | 65.3 | 25 |
| Goulburn Valley, Vic | Temperate slopes & plains | 1 680 | 106 670 | 13.5 | 19 |
| Central Murray, NSW | Temperate slopes & plains | 770 | 41 500 | 4.8 | 9 |
| Bundaberg/Isis, Qld | Wet subtropical coast | 730 | 26 370 | 25.0 | 8 |
| Riverina, NSW | Temperate slopes & plains | 680 | 32 180 | 3.7 | 8 |
| Loddon, Vic | Temperate slopes & plains | 420 | 31 910 | 3.1 | 5 |
| Granite Belt, Qld | Subtropical slopes & plains | 270 | 5 980 | 6.5 | 3 |
| Lockyer Valley, Qld | Subtropical slopes & plains/ wet subtropical coast | 220 | 7 890 | 8.1 | 3 |
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Production, production trends and exportsFresh tomato production has shown little growth in recent years, but production of processing tomatoes increased steadily from 1994/95 to 1997/98. Fresh tomato exports have fluctuated over the last five years and average only about 2% of total Australian fresh tomato production. Fresh tomato exports were valued at almost $8 m in 1998/99. New Zealand, Singapore and Malaysia accounted for over 90% of total exports. Processed tomato exports have increased rapidly, with New Zealand, the UK and the USA accounting for 60% of total export volume and value. Most processing tomato exports are pastes, purees or sauces. Queensland is the dominant producer of fresh tomato exports, and Victoria the major producer of processing tomato exports. |
Industry contacts
Processed tomatoes:
Australian Processing Tomato Council; PO Box 2293, Shepparton, Victoria 3632; telephone: (03) 5831 3212
Fresh tomatoes:
Queensland Fruit and Vegetable Growers: PO Box 19, Brisbane Market, Queensland 4106; telephone: (07) 3213 2474;
fax: (07) 3213 2480; email: qfvg@qfvg.org.au
Production and value data sources
Horticultural Research and Development Corporation 2000, Horticultural Productivity and Sustainability Project
Australian Bureau of Statistics 1996, AgStats 1996-97
National Land and Water Resources Audit 2000, non-agricultural land mask from 1:1 000 000 Landuse in Australia
Agriculture Fisheries Forestry - Australia 1996, Agro-ecological Regions of Australia
Horticultural Research and Development Corporation, Australian Horticultural Corporation, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics 2000, Australian Horticulture in the Global Environment
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