Facilitating the development of the Australian chestnut industry (CH03001)

This is a final research report from Hort Innovation’s historical archives. Please note that as these reports may date back as far as the 1990s, the content and recommendations within them may be superseded by more recent research.

What was it all about?

The Chestnut Industry in Australia was a small industry, with annual production of approximately 1200 tonnes fresh product. Most growers (about 80 per cent) were located in NE-Victoria, with other growers located in NSW, Tasmania, SA and WA. Small quantities of product were exported and there was a fledgling processing industry. Production at the time outstripped demand and production was predicted to show further increases in the future. Faced with the prospect of declining viability the peak industry body, The Chestnut Growers of Australia (now renamed Chestnuts Australia Inc) saw a need to address these issues and proposed the employment of an Industry Development Officer (IDO) to facilitate the overall expansion and development of the industry. It was envisaged that the IDO would play a key role in:

• Providing a clear mechanism for the transfer of information and technology to the industry
• Monitoring and providing guidance on aspects of a quality control framework
• Assisting the Chestnut Industry Advisory Committee (IAC) in its interactions with Hort Innovation (which was then Horticulture Australia Limited) and other industry stakeholders

Overall the chestnut industry has benefited from having an IDO; communication strategies were implemented and interactions with a number of stakeholders were fostered.