CERES Food Miles In Australia: A Preliminary Study of Melbourne, Victoria

On the 25th of July 2007 CERES launched its Food Miles report. The report was written by Sophie Gaballa  and Asha Bee Abraham. Asha has also worked with us at VEIL as a research assistant undertaking some preliminary investigations and mapping of the technological and social drivers of the food debate, both globally and here in Victoria.

VEIL team members Kirsten Larsen, Dianne Moy and Chris Ryan attended the launch. Interestingly Sophie Gaballa one of the report co-authors commented that many producers were keen to give information to the report which leads us to ask why isn’t there more of this type of research in Australia. The foods reported as being carbon heavy include; bananas travel 2746kms creating 12 black balloons of carbon per kilo, whilst a kilo of oranges created 2.5 balloons orange juice created 9 balloons – for those that don’t know the oranges we eat don’t come from the same place as the ones we drink. Other transport heavy foods include baked beans, white sugar, black tea, savoury biscuits

The launch was in CERES style, food provided was of low impact from the CERES caterers Seven Stars who specialise in tasty Turkish cuisine. The Richard Hooper from the Hundred Mile Cafe (formerly SOS) passionately discussed their experience in sourcing local foods form within their 100 mile food catchment. Interesting cases included a farmer who grows only small amount of saffron every year, and local substitutes for fish sauce.

Download the CERES Food Miles report.