RMCG’s Luke Rolley said too often, reports show that growers are travelling well in their production of olives, when their business as a whole may be going backwards.
A new benchmarking project is working to ensure Australian olive growers have easy access to clear, relevant industry information around productivity, quality and profitability.
The project, Australian olive industry benchmarking (OL16001) – a strategic levy investment under the Hort Innovation Olive Fund – will use a combination of two years of physical information and financial data from participating growers to measure the performance of individuals (confidentially) and the industry as a whole.
Growers who want to quantify how much it actually costs them to produce a tonne of olives or litre of olive oil are encouraged to be a part of the project. The project is funded by Hort Innovation using the olive R&D levy and Australian Government contributions, so there is no cost to participants.
The project is being carried out by RM Consulting Group (RMCG), which specialises in benchmarking and data validation. The data will be collected using the “BizCheck” method, based on annual tax return data and physical farm information.
RMCG’s Luke Rolley said too often, reports show that growers are travelling well in terms of production volumes, when the business as a whole may be going backwards. The project is an opportunity for growers to understand how their business is performing compared to others.
Mr Rolley stressed most of the data needed from participating growers is readily available in their completed tax return. Additional information may include:
- Production practices, such as fertiliser inputs, pest and disease control, irrigation inputs and rainfall, varieties planted, climate data such as rainfall and frost severity and frequency, access to processing facilities and harvesting machines
- Whether the business has a food safety program or a point of difference in the marketplace, such as organic, infused product, tourist destination etc.
Participants will be given a confidential two-page report summarising their benchmarks, and an aggregated summary of the findings will be disseminated to the wider olive industry.
View the benchmarking flyer for more information and to register your interest to be involved.
For more information, please contact Luke Rolley on 0407 505 362, or email luker@rmcg.com.au
