Onion levy
Onions 2015/16
R&D program investment – $733,368
Marketing program investment – $217,096
The statutory onion levy is money gathered from growers across Australia to fund research and development (R&D) projects with the objective to improve growers’ productivity and profitability and ensure the long-term sustainability of the industry.
The levy is payable on all commercially grown onions and is calculated on a per tonne basis.
Hort Innovation is responsible for managing industry funds and the Australian Government matches the R&D component of the levy dollar-for-dollar.
The onion levy has an R&D component of $2.90, with $0.10 for a Plant Health Australia levy, and $1.00 for marketing. There is also an Emergency Pest Plant Response levy set at $0.00.
How the onion levy works
Growers pay $4 for every tonne of onions that leaves the farm gate and the money is collected by the levy revenue service. $2.90 of that levy is spent on research & development designed to lift productivity and profitability.
