According to Food Innovation Australia Limited, Australian fruit and vegetable growers are missing out on sales of up to one million tonnes of produce that never makes it to market, estimated at up to $2.5 billion a year. End Food Waste Australia (EFWA) and Hort Innovation have launched a new research program to tackle the challenges of harvest surplus and losses on-farm.
Recent data from ABARES shows that Australian horticulture growers experience average food loss rates of around 20 per cent per farm, with growers often bearing the cost after paying for seed, water, fertiliser, crop protection and labour.
EFWA stated food waste represents significant economic risk, costing Australia an estimated $36.6 billion annually – around 1.4 per cent of GDP. It is one of the largest avoidable sources of productivity loss in the Australian economy, effectively erasing more than half of Australia’s agricultural GDP.
This new research program – Reducing on-farm food waste and unlocking its value for grower profitability and sustainability – puts growers at the centre of national on-farm trials designed to measure where losses occur, test practical ways to lift utilisation from each harvest, review product specifications, identify commercially viable pathways for surplus and out-of-spec produce, and develop farm-ready resources.
EFWA also leads initiatives such as the Australian Food Pact, which includes businesses like Coles, Woolworths, Aldi, Metcash, Simplot, Mars, Goodman Fielder, McCain and Sodexo. The organisation estimated signatories generated $12 million in additional revenue in 2025 by converting unsold food into higher-value outcomes, including new product development and commercial redistribution.
EFWA director of research, development and extension, Francesca Goodman-Smith, said the new research project is working with growers on industry-wide solutions to save food and money.
“International trials have shown that growers can increase profitability by up to 20 per cent through food waste reduction,” said Goodman-Smith.
“When food isn’t sold, it's not just the food that is wasted, it is also the fertiliser, water, labour and opportunity cost of using that land that is also wasted.”
The research and trials are intended to test what works under Australian conditions using data collected from participating farms. The program is funded through Hort Innovations Frontiers, with co-investment from End Food Waste Cooperative Research Centre, whose research activities are funded by the Australian Government’s Cooperative Research (CRC) Program, Queensland’s Department of Primary Industries, the South Australian Research and Development Institute (SARDI) and the University of Queensland.
Consumer research examining preferences and product specifications – the cosmetic and size standards that influence sales – will be undertaken to provide insights to minimise food waste and maximise grower profitability.
Outputs are expected to include measurement tools and loss-reduction resources backed by on-farm testing, grower training materials and case studies that set out what options work for different commodities, regions and seasons, and what they cost. Findings will be published in accessible farm-ready formats, including case studies and a dedicated knowledge hub intended to make resources easy for growers to find and apply.
Hort Innovation general manager of production and sustainability, Anthony Kachenko, said the focus was on improving profitability for growers and strengthening industry viability.
“Australian growers produce some of the best horticulture products in the world and work hard to get it to market,” said Kachenko.
“This national program will support our growers by providing practical, commercially realistic tools to maximise value from each harvest.”
EFWA also plans market feasibility studies across key commodities to identify commercially viable pathways for surplus and out-of-spec produce, as well as assessments of value-added opportunities such as powders, relishes and other processed uses, and alternative end uses including animal feed and soil amendments.
Growers and horticulture supply chain businesses can register at endfoodwaste.com.au to participate in trials, workshops, surveys, and advisory groups.
