AustChilli Group Partners with Jane's Weather and Hort Innovation to Enhance Forecasting for Horticulture

In a strategic move to advance weather forecasting precision within the horticulture sector, AustChilli Group, a leading food manufacturer based in Bundaberg, Queensland, has joined the Hort Innovation and Jane's Weather co-design program. This collaboration aims to refine the Jane's Weather PRO platform, tailoring it to meet the specific needs of growers in Queensland and beyond.

About AustChilli Group

Established in 1996, AustChilli Group has grown into Australia's largest chilli producer, cultivating a variety of chilli types on their family-owned farm. Their operations extend beyond fresh produce, offering a range of puree ingredients and foodservice solutions to local, national, and international markets.

The Hort Co-Design Partnership

The partnership with Hort Innovation and Jane's Weather is part of a $1.3 million initiative aimed at enhancing the precision, quality, and usability of weather-related information for growers. By integrating artificial intelligence and machine learning, the project seeks to provide hyper-localised weather forecasts tailored to individual farming blocks, considering unique terrain and operational requirements.

Implementation and Feedback

Roshan Perera, representing AustChilli, has been instrumental in facilitating the initial set up. The company is in the process of installing multiple weather stations on their Bundaberg farm to integrate observational weather data into their Jane's Weather AI platform. This setup will enable better decision-making in areas such as irrigation scheduling, spray management, and harvest planning.

Roshan has provided valuable feedback, noting that while traditional forecasts were not highly accurate for their unique location, the integration of their own weather stations combined with Jane's Weather's AI Forecast model is anticipated to improve the weather forecast performance through AI and machine learning optimisation. He has coordinated with a weather station supplier for the procurement and installation of the weather stations and is in the process of setting up the system to integrate with their Jane's Weather profiles.

Benefits of the Program

As a Hort co-design partner, AustChilli enjoys an extended trial period of the full functionality of Jane's Weather PRO, followed by a 50% discounted membership for the duration of their participation. This collaboration not only benefits AustChilli by providing tailored weather insights but also contributes to the broader industry by refining a tool that can enhance productivity and sustainability across various crops and sparce regions lacking localised weather data.

Looking Ahead

The integration of advanced weather forecasting tools is set to play a pivotal role in AustChilli's operations, particularly in optimising chilli production. By leveraging precise, localised weather data, AustChilli aims to improve spray forecasting, reduce waste, and enhance overall efficiency. This partnership exemplifies the potential of technology-driven weather solutions in modern agriculture, paving the way for more resilient and informed farming practices.

For more information on AustChilli Group and their products, visit their official website.

To learn more about the Hort Innovation and Jane's Weather initiative, refer to the official announcement.

To join the Jane's Weather and Hort Innovation initiative as a co-design contributor, sign up with your farm details here.

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