Brussels Sprouts Growth and Production in Australia (2020)

Brussels sprouts are the most cold-tolerant of brassica crops. Nonetheless, they are also susceptible to a number of diseases. These vegetables are produced locally and sourced from the eastern side of Australia. Brussels sprouts require a warm climate to develop a good plant frame but low temperatures to produce high-quality sprouts. The plant is the most cold-tolerant in the brassica family and frost may improve the quality of the sprouts. Commercial vegetable varieties change constantly with changing consumer preferences; before planting, check with specialist seedling nurseries. Plants are five to seven weeks old when ready for planting out of cell packs, which are normally produced by a specialist nursery.

Statistics of Brussels Sprouts

As of June 2020:

1. 5,609 t was produced and valued at $20.9 million with 18% sent to processing.
2. The wholesale value of the fresh supply was $22.5 million, with $21.1 million distributed to retail
   and $1.5 m into food service.
3. 25% of Australian households purchased Brussels sprouts, buying an average of 270g per shopping trip.
4. The supply per capita was 169 g, based on the volume supplied.

Major Production Areas

Some of the main regions where Brussels sprouts are produced in Coldstream, Forth and Adelaide Hills.

International Trade

Australia identifies as a net exporter of this vegetable. For the year ending June 2020, Australia exported 263 tonnes. For the year ending June 2020, 33% of exported fresh Brussels Sprouts was sent to South Korea. Australia imports some volume of frozen vegetables. However, information
on exact volumes is not available due to the way trade data is recorded.