Farmers in Australia are increasingly exploring coffee as a diversification crop, particularly in the agricultural regions of northern New South Wales and Far North Queensland. The trend is gaining momentum as producers seek alternative crops to supplement their primary agricultural activities.
A key driver for this shift is a recent overproduction of avocados in the domestic market, according to Tobias Kretzschmar, a professor specializing in plant breeding and genetics at Southern Cross University. He explained that the climate and soil conditions that support avocado cultivation are typically also suitable for growing coffee, presenting a viable opportunity for farmers to trial the crop.
This agricultural pivot is supported by research that has identified four coffee varietals well-suited to the Australian climate, with commercial farms now beginning to scale up their production. Beyond the established eastern regions, industry experts are also investigating Western Australia as a potential new frontier for coffee cultivation, suggesting a possible expansion of the country's overall coffee-growing footprint.