Hort Innovation: Accelerating Mechanisation, Drying Innovation and Global Technology Adoption for the Australian Dried Grape Industry
Opportunity for
- Organisations with relevant expertise, technologies or capability to deliver the following objectives:
- Identify global technologies addressing dried grape production constraints
- Improve drying efficiency, varietal performance and labour productivity
- Establish pipeline of technologies for Australian R&D and adoption
Opportunity description
Industry challenge
The Australian dried grape industry is operating in an increasingly constrained environment, characterised by rising labour costs, narrowing harvest and drying windows, increasing input costs and growing compliance requirements.
While these pressures are not unique globally, the industry’s reliance on labour-intensive systems and exposure to weather during drying periods amplifies their impact.
Australian agriculture is facing increasing pressure to produce more with fewer resources while responding to climate variability, market expectations and environmental constraints. Producers and agribusinesses are seeking practical, scalable solutions that improve efficiency, manage risk and support sustainable growth.
There is a clear need for collaboration between industry, research and technology partners to bridge the gap between innovation and on‑farm or supply‑chain adoption. This opportunity is designed to bring together complementary capabilities to address these challenges in a coordinated and commercially realistic way.
Despite increasing global availability of technologies, the industry faces a clear gap in:
- Confidence in fit-for-purpose solutions
- Understanding of true cost and servicing models
- Pathways to translate global innovation into Australian systems
Current opportunity
This investment addresses this gap by creating a structured pipeline from global technology identification through to local validation and adoption, ensuring that future investments are targeted, evidence-based and aligned with industry priorities.
The respondent is required to design and deliver a two-year program that identifies, evaluates and translates globalme chanisation, drying and varietal innovations into practical adoption and future R&D pathways for Australia.
The scope includes:
- Design and delivery of a study tour program (one or two tours)
- Identification of globally relevant technologies and systems
- Development of validation and adoption pathways for Australia
- Creation of a pipeline of future R&D investments
The services below are an cipated to require a budget in the range of $167,400 to $186,000.
Budgets outside of this range will still be considered if funding permits. Full costings must be provided and the proposal must demonstrate a clear return on investment. Suppliers are encouraged to submit best price proposals that meet or exceed the requirements outlined.
Find out more and apply through Tenders.net here by 17th July at 3pm EAST.
Opportunity background
The Dried Grape Strategic Investment Plan 2022-2026 is located here.
The dried grape industry is a small but well-established horticulture industry. The industry has experienced declining production over the past 40 years, primarily resulting from poor profitability.
Grapes grown for dried products are grown mainly in Victoria (80%), New South Wales (17%) and South Australia (3%). Sunraysia, around Mildura and along the Murray and Darling Rivers is the major production area. Production is mainly between December and May, peaking in January to March.
Due to the geographic concentration of the industry, production volumes can be dramatically affected by adverse climatic conditions. The quality of the fruit can also be adversely affected by rain, pest damage and poor drying conditions.
"RDC"