A new R&D program to increase the daily vegetable consumption of Australians by one serving a day is expected to contribute $3.3bn to vegetable growers and across the supply chain, create 13,000 new jobs in regional communities, and lead to a $1.4bn reduction in healthcare costs – contributing a total $4.7bn in net economic benefit.
The six-year program funded by Hort Innovation through the Frontiers Healthy Living Investment Theme has been developed in direct response to alarmingly low and declining daily vegetable consumption and will incorporate insights and lessons from global best practice programs to maximize outcomes for industry and growers.
Australians today are only consuming on average 1.8 servings of vegetables per person per day - which is 135g, or around half a cup of vegetables - instead of the recommended five pieces per day. Increasing daily vegetable intake by just one serving per person per day adds up to more than 9.1 billion additional servings annually or 680K tonnes of vegetables consumed.
Brett Fifield, CEO of Hort Innovation said on the program: "We know that only 6.1% of Australians are eating the recommended five servings of vegetables and two servings of fruit per day."
"The chronic underconsumption of veggies affects all Australians which means eating one more veggie every day will have a positive impact on all of us. Consider better health, less pressure on our health system, our growers prospering, job creation, less waste - and all of this leads to a positive impact on the broader economy".
"In fact, by increasing the number of veggies consumed by just one serving, we would expect to see a $3.3 billion increase in value to the vegetable industry."
"By tapping into what will really drive behavior change we believe this research program will help us work towards both a healthier Australia and a prosperous vegetable industry."
The research program – overseen by Hort Innovation – has been co-designed by more than 48 cross-sector organizations spanning industry, research science, healthcare, government, and community outreach to understand the most effective ways to get Australians to eat an extra serving of vegetables each day.
Michael Coote, CEO of AUSVEG said: "Critically low and declining vegetable consumption in Australia has been a major concern for many years. Not only is it extremely worrying for the health of Australians, but it presents major concerns for the long-term viability of Australia's vegetable industry.
"By boosting vegetable consumption, there's a multi-billion-dollar, triple-bottom-line of benefits to be realized – it's good for Aussie vegetable growers, it's good for the national economy, and it's good for the health of all Australians.
For more information:
Shannon O'Mara
Horticulture Innovation
Tel: +61 0407 770 994
Email: [email protected]
www.horticulture.com.au