Predictions of future climate change are significant. A mean warming over most of Australia of 0.2°C is expected by 2030 and with it will come new challenges, as well as opportunities for the horticulture industry.

For horticultural industries to successfully adapt to increasing temperatures, both pre-emptive and reactive adaptation strategies or options need to be developed.

Horticultural industries are already dealing with:

• increased threats from imported products
• the need to become even more efficient
• changing social, economic and institutional pressures.

Industry will need to develop adaptive strategies to manage adverse environmental conditions as well as developing and implementing improved production practices to increase efficiency and productivity.

Temperature is the main factor determining the location and timing of Australian horticultural production. Increased temperatures may require changes in cultivars and times of planting and harvesting.

Increasing temperatures may also result in some current production areas becoming marginal, especially in the early and/or late periods of the production season.

Horticulture and climate variability

There is a range of information available on Queensland Government websites, the Bureau of Meteorology website and the Horticulture Climate Initiative (Horticulture Australia) website.

Climate information

Our climate page has a range of climate-related links including:

• Climate and crop information, including forecast and current climate information, rainfall probability maps, El Nino information and the Madden Julian Oscillation.
• Understanding forecasting, including key points in using climate forecasts and other climate and weather related internet sites.
• Extreme events and severe weather.

Drought information

• Drought and horticulture
  Drought information applicable to horticultural producers.
• Drought decisions checklist (Vegetables and other annual horticultural crops)
  This is a checklist of business and personal decisions that need to be made during drought times.
• Drought
  Planning advice, available assistance and recovery after drought.
• Horticulture Australia Limited (HAL) drought information

Carbon footprint

• Calculate your farm's carbon footprint
• Investigating the vegetable industry´s carbon footprint