Strawberries Production in Australia (2019)

Overview

Strawberries are a fruit that is abundantly grown in all states of Australia. Thus, it is found throughout the year in this country. Moreover, this is a fruit which is extremely popular as the majority of the population enjoys it.

Statistics

1. 72% of Australian households bought these fruits while on their grocery shopping trip. This amounts to 401 grams of this fruit per shopping trip.
2. The supply per capita was estimated at 2.7 kg, based on the volume that was supplied.
3. Seventy-six thousand six hundred four tonnes of these fruits were produced and valued at $392.4 million. 7% was processed and reserved for consumption.
4. The wholesale value of this fruit was $434.2 million with $371 million reserved for retail, and $63.1 million went into food service.

Major Strawberry Production Areas

As mentioned earlier, these fruits are produced in almost all states in Australia. However, some states specialize in growing this fruit. Some of these areas are Beerwah in Queensland, Camden in New South Wales, Wanneroo, Bullsbrook and Albany in Western Australia and the Yarra Valley in Victoria.

Health Benefits of Strawberries

This fruit mainly consists of water (91%) and carbohydrates (7.7%). They contain only minor amounts of fat (0.3%) and protein (0.7%). Strawberries’ carbs consists mainly of fibres and simple sugars. They have a relatively low GI and should not cause big spikes in blood sugar levels. These fruits are a good source of vitamin C, manganese, folate (vitamin B9), and potassium. They contain small amounts of several other vitamins and minerals.

Fresh Strawberries Production by State

Fresh Strawberries International Trade

Australia is traditionally considered to be a net exporter of this fruit. Moreover, it can be said that this trade has exponentially grown in recent years. Furthermore, Australia has exported approximately 3,685 tonnes of this fruit as of June 2019.

Processed Strawberries International Trade

As of June 2019, an extra 5,019 strawberries were imported, whereas 309 tonnes were exported. Moreover, Australia has also imported 409 tonnes of preserved strawberries, while it exported 19 tonnes of this preserved fruit.

Article by: Hari Yellina (Orchard Tech)