Fruits and vegetables are Australia’s most wasted foods. More than three million tonnes of fruit and vegetables go to waste every year in Australia – enough to fill the Melbourne Cricket Ground to the brim five times. New action plans pinpoint priority actions to reduce fresh produce food waste in Australia.
Fresh produce accounts for 50% of Australia’s food waste. Tackling fruit and vegetable waste is critical to reaching Australia’s goal of halving food waste by 2030 and will have positive impacts for growers and the whole food supply chain, for people, the planet and industry profitability.
Explore the action plans and nine key priority actions areas identified in the plan aim to reduce fresh produce waste that occurs at every stage of the food supply chain – on farm, during transportation and manufacturing, and in retail stores.
CQUniversity was appointed as Research Provider, supported by End Food Waste CRC Transform.
Dr Delwar Akbar is leading the multidisciplinary team of researchers with expertise ranging from horticulture to supply chains to regional planning.
The team has commenced literature reviews, global scanning of best practice, a national account of waste and current practice.
The Nationwide framework plan has a Project Advisory Group with representation that spans the breadth of the Horticulture Supply Chain; from farm to retail as shown in the partners list above.
We invite invite collaboration from industry on the Horticulture Sector Action Plan.
Food industry businesses can begin enacting or supporting the priority actions listed in the plan and we invite other produce groups to sign up for commodity Food Waste Action Plans.
If you would like to know more about sponsoring a commodity or more information about the progress of the Plan, please contact our team.
