Greenhouse tomatoes

South Australian-based P’Petual Holdingshas unveiled plans for the expansion of its glasshouse facility in North Adelaide.

To be rolled out over three stages, the A$60m expansion will increase the scale of the site from eight to 28ha. Once complete, the expanded facility will be the second largest high-tech horticultural glasshouse project in South Australia.

The first stage of the development is already underway and will help boost the facility’s annual yield of fresh produce to approximately 7,800 tonnes. Over the past 12 months the greenhouse produced just over 2,850 tonnes of fresh produce.

P’Petual Holdings grows a selection of niche tomatoes, eggplants and mini-cucumbers, all of which are marketed under the Ausfresh brand.

The project is expected to create 250 new ongoing jobs, with analysis from the South Australian Centre for Economic Studies indicating the expansion will add an estimated A$138.2m to the state’s economy over the next ten years, based on 2016/17 values.