The Goulburn Murray Irrigation District (GMID) is well recognised as the Food Bowl of Victoria. The GMID is located in northern Victoria between Swan Hill and Cobram and covers 68 000 km². The district comprises the Goulburn and Murray systems.
The Goulburn system includes four irrigation areas - Central Goulburn, Shepparton, Rochester-Campaspe and Pyramid-Boort. This system is primarily supplied from Lake Eildon.
The Murray system includes two irrigation areas - Murray Valley and Torrumbarry. This system is supplied from the Murray River with diversions being located at Yarrawonga and Torrumbarry weirs.
The region is a food hub as it produces:
- 22% of the nation's milk which is sold either as fresh milk or value added in the form of butter, cheese, yoghurt and dried milk products
- 96% of Victoria's tomatoes by weight
- 90% of Victoria's stone fruit by weight
- 12% of Victoria's grapes and
- $1.94 billion worth of Victoria's $8.3 billion agricultural commodities, accounting for 24% of the total Victorian value.
Source: 2005/06 Production Data, Department of Primary Industries and Dairy Australia
High quality and secure supply of agricultural commodities from the region have underpinned the investment made by many of Australia's largest food processing companies such as:
- SPC Ardmona (now owned by Coca-Cola Amatil)
- Simplot Australia
- Cedenco Australia
- Unilever
- Heinz Watties
- Campbell Soups Australia
- Fonterra
- Murray Goulburn Co-Operative.
Northern Victorian food manufacturers are major contributors to the Australian food industry, particularly in the areas of fruit and vegetable processing, dairy products and wine production.
