Collection for the 2020 Nursery Industry Statistics survey is now underway, and growers in Australia are urged to participate.
The importance of the 2019/2020 survey can not be understated. COVID-19 restrictions have spurred an already growing trend within Australia for more and better indoor and outdoor greenspaces. It is essential for the industry to reliably capture the market impact of this time to demonstrate the benefits of greenlife to Governments.
From October to early December, a team from independent research agency Down To Earth Research (DTER) will be contacting growers across Australia to conduct interviews and collect key business data for the 2019/20 financial.
Now in its fourth year, the national project aims to aggregate data from over 300 nursery growers to produce a more reliable, accurate and statistically sound snapshot of the industry’s size, value, production, employment and confidence.
Data collected from these industry-wide surveys are integral to the progression of nursery businesses, and will be used to develop a new version of the Nursery Industry Business Benchmarking Tool which allows growers to compare their business against national averages.
Growers like Kris Grundy from Townsville Plant Nursery have used the benchmarking tool to guide their business strategy for a number of years. Check out his story here.
What’s new?
This year, there’s an additional survey to the levy-funded project ‘Nursery Industry Statistics 2017/18 to 2019/20’ (NY17008). For the second time, the team at DTER will be running a survey, seeking participation from landscapers and retailers as of 24 September 2020. This is a repeat of the customer validation survey conducted for the 2017/18 financial year.
This additional survey will aim to represent the role greenlife played throughout COVID-19 and the impact the nursery industry had on supporting nursery businesses and consumers alike, so contribution from stakeholders is essential to most accurately capture our ability to adapt to challenge.
Following the release of the 2019/2020 data in March 2021, a PESTLE analysis will also be undertaken by ACIL Allen Consulting to support the data collected and acknowledge the investment placed in R&D projects and industry advocacy. A PESTLE analysis looks at the Political, Economic, Social, Technological, Legal and Environmental factors that drive an industry or organisation.
The results of the collections and the PESTLE report are scheduled for release early in 2021.
Process
Growers will be contacted randomly by phone, and an appointment to complete the survey will be scheduled.
Participating growers will be guided on the business information from the 2019/20 financial year that will be required to productively complete an informed survey.
Surveys will be conducted via telephone, taking approximately 15 – 20 minutes to complete.
Some growers have indicated that by participating in the survey it has helped them to better understand and manage production and finance aspects of their business.
Preparation tips
To ensure the interview process runs smoothly and effectively, read our below preparation tips:
- Record your appointment time in a calendar and set a reminder on your phone or computer
- Prior to the interview, think about who might be the best spokesperson from your business to participate
- Get familiar with the sort of information you’ll be asked for and have it handy to help you complete the survey
- Keep a record of the data you shared in case you need to reference it later
All data collected will remain unidentified and is considered confidential.
If you have any questions regarding the process or would like more information, please contact Daniel Watson at daniel@dter.com.au.
The ‘Nursery Industry Statistics 2017/18 to 2019/20’ (NY17008) project is funded by Hort Innovation using nursery industry levy and funds from the Australian Government.
Source: Your Levy at Work