Australian almond industry statistics and data collection 2020-2022 (AL19005)
What was it all about?
From 2020 to 2022, this project collected industry statistics and made them readily available to almond growers and other industry stakeholders. This information allowed almond businesses and the broader industry to make timely and effective decisions in planning and resource prioritisation.
Specific activities of the project included:
- Production of the annual statistics report Almond Insights which included the results of the project’s annual planting surveys
- Annual crop forecasts
- Monthly export position reports
- Ongoing collection of domestic and international almond statistics.
This investment played an important role in verifying the growing and marketing credentials of the Australian almond industry. The two key publications, the Annual Almond Industry Statistics Report and the Monthly Sales Position Report, contain data and statistics that encompass the production, export and domestic sales of Australian almonds. Along with global comparisons, the services delivered in this project form a critical benchmarking role that assists in guiding investment decisions at all levels.
During the course of the project, the content of the monthly Position Reports was enhanced to include domestic sales figures for the first time and provide a whole-of-industry sales update, similar to that published by the Almond Board of California. This has provided meaningful comparisons and helped stakeholders identify potential trends as well as areas of opportunity and threat.
ACT NOW
Visit the Almond Board of Australia website to access the resources produced by this project.
AgEcon was engaged by Hort Innovation to complete an end-of-project evaluation to determine the extent to which the project’s delivery (activities and outputs) supported achievement of its intended outcomes and impacts by considering Key Evaluation Questions regarding effectiveness, efficiency, process appropriateness and relevance. The evaluation was based on a combination of document review and targeted interviews with 16 industry and project stakeholders.
Informed by evidence from all stakeholders, the evaluation found that the project delivery achieved the intended project outcome of providing industry data to improve business decisions. The project material was found to be relevant across a range of stakeholder types, leading to a diverse application of the industry data and statistics.
Ongoing delivery of almond industry statistics should be prioritised to continue to support the industry to remain informed and adapt to changing market and environmental considerations. Future investment should be supported by the development and implementation of a robust Monitoring and Evaluation Plan to ensure that evidence around the application of the industry data and statistics is provided.
Recommendations to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of ongoing almond statistics delivery were identified across five key areas, summarised below:
- Reporting, project management and governance – develop robust monitoring and evaluation resources to further demonstrate project delivery performance and continuous improvement.
- Engagement – leverage existing industry support and coordination to drive ongoing participation, while developing a closer association with the role of the levy in supporting project activities.
- Position reports – develop a dashboard platform to support user interaction, supported by commentary across reporting periods and extending dissemination networks.
- Almond Insights – leverage existing publication as a platform to demonstrate sustainability metrics that are aligned to the industry’s priorities.
- Data collection – develop electronic data collection capabilities to streamline data entry and incorporate remote sensing technologies to strengthen data objectivity and validation of planted areas.
This project is a strategic levy investment in the Hort Innovation Almond Fund