Cauliflowers Growth and Production in Australia (2020)

Cauliflowers are best planted in autumn and early winter to enable the flowering heads or curds to ripen in cold weather. They need a steady supply of food and water to develop good heads. As the head grows, wrap the large outer leaves around it to protect it from the sun and prevent it from becoming discoloured. Cauliflower heads also dislike being wet, so irrigation with a dripper rather than a mister system is recommended. A good soak once a week is preferable to daily sprinklings. If heavy frosts have been forecast, protect the head with hessian at night, but remove this during the day to allow air to circulate. Cabbage white caterpillars are the main problem with cauliflowers and should be removed by hand or dusted with derris if necessary.

Statistics of Cauliflowers

As of June 2020:

1. 73,980 tonnes produced and valued at $65.8 million, with 8% sent to processing.
2. The wholesale value of the fresh supply was $74.4 million, with $67 million distributed into retail and $7.4 million into food service.
3. 51% of Australian households purchased cauliflowers, buying an average of 945 g of cauliflowers per shopping trip.
4. The supply per capita was 2.6 kg, based on the volume supplied.

Production Areas in Australia

Even though cauliflowers are grown in almost all states across Australia, there are a few of them that specialize in producing this vegetable. Some of them are the Lockyer Valley and Werribee.

International Trade

Australia imports some volume of frozen cauliflowers. However, specific
information on exact volumes is not available due to the way trade data is
recorded.