A new five-year, AUD $4 million coffee research program has been launched in Australia to help the country's growers improve productivity, test new coffee variants, and strengthen biosecurity. The initiative represents the largest single investment in the Australian coffee-growing sector to date.
The program is led by AgriFutures Australia, a national research and development corporation, in partnership with Southern Cross University, Plant Health Australia, The University of Queensland, and the Australian Grown Coffee Association. Currently, Australia's domestic coffee sector consists of approximately 40 commercial growers farming 400 hectares, with an annual production capacity of around 800 tonnes. This output accounts for about one percent of all coffee consumed within the country.
Research will focus on three core areas: enhancing overall farm productivity, studying the performance of different coffee varieties in Australian conditions, and providing farmers with tools to manage biosecurity risks. Coffee is grown in diverse climates across the country, from tropical Far North Queensland to subtropical regions of northern New South Wales. The program's stated goal is to provide a scientific foundation for expanding the nation's premium coffee production.