Regional food sufficiency is vital for ensuring that communities have reliable access to fresh, locally grown produce. In Western Australia (WA), where vast distances and reliance on interstate imports pose challenges, increasing local food production can offer economic, environmental, and health benefits. By reducing dependence on external supply chains, WA can safeguard its food security while supporting local farmers and businesses.
One emerging opportunity in this space is the expansion of sweet potato farming. As demand for this versatile crop rises, WA’s agricultural sector is exploring ways to grow more of it within the state. However, challenges such as climate variability, infrastructure limitations, and market competition must be addressed to make regional farming more viable. With the right strategies, local initiatives could pave the way for a stronger, more sustainable food system in WA.
Strengthening WA’s Food Security and Sustainability
Regional food sufficiency is about ensuring that local communities have access to fresh, nutritious food produced within their region. For a vast state like WA, which often relies on imports of certain fresh produce, this goal offers multiple benefits.
Reduced Supply Chain Vulnerabilities
With growing more food locally, WA reduces its reliance on interstate transport, which is vulnerable to disruptions like extreme weather, rising fuel costs, or logistic bottlenecks.
Fresher, Healthier Produce
Locally grown crops reach consumers faster, ensuring fresher and more nutritious food.
Boosting Local Economies
Expanding regional agriculture supports WA’s farming communities, creating jobs and driving economic growth in areas like the Gascoyne.
Environmental Benefits
Transporting food over shorter distances significantly cuts carbon emissions, contributing to WA’s sustainability goals.
Expanding Sweet Potato Farming in WA
Sweet potatoes, a versatile and nutrient-rich crop, are gaining popularity in Australia due to their health benefits and culinary flexibility. While Queensland has traditionally dominated sweet potato production, the demand in WA has grown, creating an opportunity for local farming companies to step in.
Sweet potato farming is particularly suited to WA’s climate and soil conditions, especially in regions like the Gascoyne, which is known for its rich agricultural history. Increasing local production of sweet potatoes could help WA meet its own demand while reducing reliance on imports from other states. WA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development also has a set of guidelines on how to grow the plant.
Harvest Road’s Expansion into Sweet Potato Farming
Harvest Road, a WA-based agribusiness under the Tattarang Group, is making waves in the push for regional food sufficiency. Known for its sustainable beef and seafood ventures, Harvest Road is now diversifying into more agri projects at its 225,000-hectare complex.
The company experimented with growing sweet potatoes starting with a ten-hectare pilot programme back in 2021 and 2022. Kim McDougall, who was the Harvest Road Group’s GM for agriculture at the time, said investing in more local growing of sweet potatoes was needed considering 90 per cent of the sweet potatoes sold in WA were actually sourced from eastern Australia farms.
The objective was to test whether the soil at Brickhouse Station was fertile enough to generate a big crop of sweet potatoes, with an estimated 50-tonne output per hectare. When it came to which varieties of sweet potatoes were grown at Brickhouse, the project focused on six varieties that can grow well in WA’s climate, with three variants judged as commercial-grade – the Bellevue, New Orleans, and Murasaki.
The success of the pilot programme led to Harvest Road increasing the sweet potato plot area for seeding from 10ha to 30ha this year, with a possible expansion to 50ha down the line. The current harvest is expected at 1,500 tonnes, with the local branches of supermarket chains Aldi, Coles, Woolworths, and Hello Fresh as the retailers.
Aside from sweet potatoes, Harvest Road also tested production of hay to support the company’s cattle farming business – and agave, which is used for production of tequila.
Challenges in WA’s Sweet Potato Expansion
While the benefits of local food production are clear, companies like Harvest Road face several challenges in scaling up their operations.
Climate Variability
WA’s climate is prone to extremes, from droughts to cyclones, which can threaten crop yields. A Wattleup sweet potato farmer said sweet potatoes are highly sensitive to weather changes.
Infrastructure Gaps
Regional areas like the Gascoyne often lack the infrastructure needed for large-scale farming, storage, and distribution.
Labour Shortages
Recruiting and retaining a skilled agricultural workforce in remote areas remains a persistent challenge.
Market Competition
Competing with established sweet potato suppliers from other states, particularly Queensland, requires efficient production and marketing strategies. A Hort Innovation agri report from 2023 tagged QLD’s Bundaberg farms as having harvested 80,483 tonnes of sweet potatoes. WA farm output was at 915 tonnes.
Innovative Strategies for WA’s Sweet Potato Growth
Despite these challenges, companies like Harvest Road are adopting innovative approaches to ensure the success of their local farming initiatives.
Sustainable Farming Practices
Harvest Road employs water-efficient irrigation techniques and soil management strategies to optimise yields in the Gascoyne’s semi-arid conditions. The farm property itself is also near the Gascoyne River, offering the team resources for water.
Collaborative Networks
Partnering with local farmers and agribusinesses helps share resources and knowledge, boosting the overall viability of regional agriculture.
Government Support
Programmes supporting regional development and agriculture provide funding and incentives to encourage more companies to invest locally.
Consumer Awareness
Highlighting the benefits of buying local produce can drive demand for WA-grown sweet potatoes, helping Harvest Road carve out a niche in the market.
Building a Resilient WA Through Local Agriculture
Boosting local food supplies is about more than just meeting consumer demand. It’s about building a more resilient, self-reliant WA. Initiatives like Harvest Road’s sweet potato project could pave the way for a broader agricultural transformation in the state.
Supporting Regional Communities
Farming projects in the Gascoyne and other regions create jobs and support ancillary industries like transport and packaging, fostering economic growth in rural WA.
Promoting Sustainability
Growing more food locally reduces WA’s carbon footprint, aligning with the state’s sustainability goals and addressing consumer demand for environmentally friendly products.
Building Food Security
With disruptions to interstate supply chains becoming more frequent, having a robust local food production system is critical for ensuring WA residents have consistent access to fresh produce. However, when it came to increasing sweet potato production in WA, Joel Dinsdale, Vegetables WA’s quality assurance coordinator, said it will be a challenge for local farms to be capable of supplying fresh produce all year long.
The efforts of companies like Harvest Road demonstrate that increasing local food production is both achievable and beneficial. Sweet potato farming in the Gascoyne could serve as a blueprint for other crops traditionally sourced from out of state.
For WA to fully realise its potential in regional food sufficiency, continued investment, innovation, and collaboration are essential. By supporting local initiatives and prioritising regional agriculture, the state can build a food system that benefits its people, economy, and environment.
Conclusion
Investing in more local output is a win-win for farming companies and WA consumers. Harvest Road’s efforts to grow sweet potatoes within the state are a testament to the untapped potential of WA’s agricultural regions like the Gascoyne.
By addressing challenges and leveraging opportunities, farming companies can drive a shift towards regional food sufficiency, ensuring WA remains resilient in the face of future challenges. For consumers, it’s a call to action to support local produce and contribute to a thriving, sustainable state.
DISCLAIMER: This article is for informational purposes only and reflects the latest information available at time of writing. AVANTE PARTNERS has no financial interests in any farming company.
