"Our industry, by world standards, is still young," says Matt Plunkett, PCA's Special Projects and Industry Development Manager. "But we're making strong strides, especially in areas like berries under cover, which has seen phenomenal growth in the past decade. Where I'm speaking to you from, Coffs Harbour, is now one of the largest berry growing regions in the Southern Hemisphere."
With roots in advocacy and education since the late 1980s, Protected Cropping Australia (PCA) has become the voice of the nation's covered cropping sector. Its biennial conference is now the southern hemisphere's leading event for greenhouse and protected cropping growers and professionals.
Despite covering just 14,000 hectares, Australia's protected cropping industry spans everything from glasshouses and polytunnels to hydroponics, NFT, netted crops and vertical farms.
High-tech vertical farming is also on the radar, although investment has slowed recently. "There's been a definite cooling off in the vertical farming space where CAPEX and OPEX pressures have bitten hard. Still, there is some interest and potential remain. It's about recalibrating expectations."
The challenges beneath the canopy
Despite the progress, growers face pressing challenges. Recent seasons have brought hot, wet summers that strain even the most advanced greenhouse systems.
"High humidity and low light are a tough combination. We've had three summers in a row now with limited sunshine in some parts of Australia, which brings increased pest and disease pressure. Our growers are good at managing this as many use integrated pest and disease management techniques, but the conditions are undeniably harder."
The issue isn't necessarily water, although water supply and availability varies across different growing regions. In fact, eastern Australia has experienced above-average rainfall over the past four years. Instead, it's about controlling the growing environment despite the erratic weather and changing climatic conditions. That's where innovation, particularly in lighting and climate systems, becomes vital.
"There is LED lighting being used and some growers are following plant empowerment principles," he adds. "But radiation loads in Australia are still very high, even during cloudy conditions, which creates a unique climate challenge." The high solar radiation loads is what differentiates Australia from many other growing regions around the world.
Governance, biosecurity, and the fight for recognition
Aside from environmental and economic challenges, regulatory hurdles are also top of mind. One of the most persistent issues PCA has been advocating for is the inclusion of a classification for greenhouses and other structures in Australia's National Construction Code.
"We've been working on this for over a decade. At the moment, there's no proper classification for greenhouses, which leads to unnecessary red and green tape for growers. We're trying to create industry best-practice guidelines that can be used to streamline planning and approvals."
Biosecurity, too, remains a major concern. The recent discovery of Tomato Brown Rugose Fruit Virus in Australia has sent ripples through the sector.
"It's the COVID of the tomato industry. It's very hard to manage once it's taken hold.. We've now transitioned to a management strategy and reinstated market access in many state jurisdictions, but the key will be improving biosecurity protocols, especially at the medium and low-tech levels."
Sustainability, education, and consumption
While the conference will shine a spotlight on technology, policy, and investment, Matt emphasizes that PCA's broader mission, rooted in its founding purpose, is education and training.
"Our association was started by pioneers like Tony Biggs, Greg Seymour, and Rick Donnan. Their vision was to support education and training for the whole sector, and we're still following that mandate today."
That includes a major push toward sustainability. While Australia lags behind Europe in ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) adoption, momentum is building. "There's terrific work going on here. Some of the best growers in the world are right here in Australia."
And yet, there's one challenge that transcends technology and policy: getting more Australians to eat their fruit and vegetables..
"Our consumption of fresh fruit and veg has been declining for decades. It's not just about affordability, although that's part of it. It's also about convenience. Fast food is often cheaper and quicker, and that's a societal issue we all have a role in addressing."
Investment, innovation, and collaboration
Australia may be geographically isolated, but that hasn't stopped a wave of innovation, especially in ag-tech. For the first time, this year's PCA Conference will include a startup showcase in collaboration with Aus AgriTech, allowing new companies to pitch technologies to growers and industry stakeholders.
"We've got around 50 corporate partners, including several in the tech space," Matt says. "And through our work supporting the Protected Cropping Strategy to 2030, we've seen both public and private investment pour into R&D, much of it led by growers themselves."
That balance between innovation and practicality is essential in a sector where businesses range from small family farms to multinational enterprises like Costa Group and Perfection Fresh Australia.
"One of the things I'm most passionate about is ensuring our growers remain profitable so they can grow the industry in a sustainable way. PCA acts as the conduit, bringing growers and researchers together through field days, webinars, delegations to events like Greentech in the Netherlands, and more."
For more information:
Protected Cropping Australia
Register for the event: pca2025.com
conference@aomevent.com
+61 (08) 8125 2200
Matthew Plunkett
ido@protectedcropping.net.au
0434 147 988
protectedcropping.net.au