Behind every Christmas feast is a Queensland grower

Natalie Brady, QFVG Head of Communications

This Christmas, as we sit down to our festive feasts, it’s worth pausing to think about the hands that grew the food on our plates. From juicy pineapples to sweet strawberries, leafy greens and roasted sweet potato, Queensland horticultural growers work tirelessly to make sure we have fresh, nutritious produce all year round - especially over the holiday season.

Queensland grows a quarter of Australia’s fresh produce, and our growers are the backbone of many regional towns. Driving around my hometown of Bundaberg, past roadside stalls and row upon row of crops, it’s easy to see the scale of the work happening right in our backyard. The industry contributes more than $6 billion to the state economy and supports nearly 45,000 jobs. That’s tens of thousands of families relying on growers, their workers, and supply chains - from farm gates to local shops.

We also know this is no quiet time for growers. While many of us relax, growers and their teams are harvesting, packing, and transporting their fresh produce to make sure our tables are full. They do it with pride - often under pressure from weather, labour shortages, and rising costs.

So, this Christmas, we’re saying a huge thank you to the men and women of horticulture across Queensland. You feed our families, sustain regional communities, and keep our economy moving. Every herb, carrot, avocado, and mango on our table represents your hard work, care and dedication.

Queenslanders everywhere appreciate and are thankful for all that you grow, all the work you do, and the vital role you play in keeping our communities and our state healthy, happy, and well-fed.