All commercial avocado growers in Australia pay statutory national levies which are used for research and development (R&D), marketing and biosecurity. Avocados Australia undertook extensive industry consultation which demonstrated majority support for the levies. The levies were implemented by the Australian Government upon the request from Avocados Australia.
These levies are collected by the Australian Government. For more information, visit the Department of Agriculture website.
The current levies and their rates are:
Research and development – 2.9 cents per kilogram
Marketing – 4.5 cents per kilogram
Plant Health Australia – 0.1 cents per kilogram
Emergency Plant Pest Eradication (EPPE) – set at 0 cents per kilogram
How are the levies managed?
Hort Innovation manages the R&D and marketing levy investment.
The Avocado Strategic Investment Plan 2017-2021 provides guidance for the investment of avocado R&D and Marketing levies.
An avocado Strategic Industry Advisory Panel (SIAP) provides advice to Hort Innovation in relation to the strategic investment of R&D and marketing levies. Hort Innovation is able to seek matching funding from the Australian Government for the R&D levy investment.
The EPPE levy, set at zero, provides a mechanism for the avocado industry to meet its funding obligations in relation to plant pest eradication if and when required.
Avocados Australia and the industry levies
The levies provide essential resources to support the avocado industry’s development. Therefore, Avocados Australia is closely involved in the levy management, through Hort Innovation and the Australian Government.
Avocados Australia provides an important link with levy payers and the broader industry to identify priorities, assist in developing effective investment strategies and providing communication with industry about the progress from levy investment activities.
Avocados Australia also delivers levy-funded projects in core program areas such as:
Industry Communications
Industry data (Infocado)
Export development
Past Levy Program Annual Reports
Before Hort Innovation was established in 2014, Horticulture Australia Limited was the company responsible for managing the avocado R&D and marketing levy. A report on the levy investment was prepared each year, copies of these past reports can be accessed by contacting Hort Innovation.