Australian tomato growers buoyed by a year of good returns

Last week I spent the day with Martin Vadakekuttu, Managing Director of Prodoz International, in the Melbourne area. I was able to tour their new warehouse and visit four of their customers in the afternoon.

Beyond simply supplying coir mixes, Martin has focused on supporting his substrates with biological products, such as the Seawin Biotech range. For example, Synergy (Bacillus subtilis) contains a high concentration of beneficial bacteria that colonise the root zone, helping to maintain root health. This is particularly valuable in Australia, where irrigation water supply and treatment are not always ideal. Even with effective sanitation, some pathogens can still get through. Adding biologicals has therefore been an important way to increase the value of Ecomix coir products.

Other standout products included Plant Nurse and Root Flush. Root Flush is a suitable block co-polymer compatible with hydroponic systems, designed to improve water distribution, re-wetting, flushing, and faster expansion of coco peat. Growers should strongly consider using it when first wetting up new slabs, and especially when reusing bags for a second crop cycle.

Tailored solutions are another strength of Ecomix. While standard mixes exist, growers always look for adjustments to improve outcomes. For example, one grower was stacking new bags on top of old ones in an attempt to:

• Raise the crop height, making work easier for staff.
• Increase the available root zone.

Although I remain unconvinced by this approach, it reflects growers’ willingness to experiment. Time will tell whether it pays off.

Hygiene

On-farm hygiene at the four properties I visited was non-existent. In fact, I was laughed at for wearing my biohazard gear. Even with confirmed cases of ToBRFV in Australia, practices remain similar to those in New Zealand—where hygiene protocols are often lacking. To be fair, one high-tech 3-hectare greenhouse did at least have footbaths and warning signage at the entrance. However, these measures would still fall far short of what I would expect on my own property.

Returns

The growers we visited were very pleased with the past year’s returns on tomatoes and cucumbers supplied to the Victorian markets. After several tough years, 2024-25 brought much stronger pricing. Their challenges remain like those faced by NZ growers, with energy costs a major factor. Two properties had shifted back to August/September planting rotations to better manage energy use.

Plants

Most nursery plants this season are being supplied from Western Australia, as ToBRFV was detected in a South Australian nursery. The long distance means plants are shipped as very small plug plants, either in coir or stone-wool, and then re-established into larger blocks before transplanting into production houses. Many growers set aside space specifically to carry out this process before moving plants into their main greenhouses.

Thanks again to Martin for generously sharing his time with me and providing valuable insights into both Ecomix and the current state of the Australian greenhouse industry.