Irrigated perennial horticulture such as fruit trees and grape vines
Perennial horticultural crops,such as avocados and wine grapes, occupy less than one per cent of the Peel Food Zone investigation area.
This land use scenario involves growing commercial crops of long life-cycles (typically trees, shrubs or woody vines) using irrigation in open (uncovered) paddocks. the analysis includes orchard crops (e.g. apples, citrus, stone fruit, avocados, nuts, etc.) and vineyard crops (e.g. grapes and kiwifruit). Although the plants are perennial, crops are harvested annually.
In general, land assessed as suitable for perennial horticulture uses is similar to areas most suitable for annual horticulture. Some differences arise on the slopes as perennial crops can grow on steeper land than annual crops although perennials require deeper soils than annuals, due to their deeper root systems. Suitable areas for perennial cropping are in the east, flanking the South West Highway. In the southern investigation area, new areas of commercial scale perennial crops would need to be separated from rural lifestyle areas, where commercial cropping is not permitted.
Additional development of perennial horticulture is restricted by soils with a high risk of phosphorus export, limited water for irrigation along foot slopes of the Darling Scarp and areas of existing and planned rural residential development.
Click here to access the Irrigated perennial horticulture suitability map.