NOTICE: Hard copies of the Australian New Crops Newsletter are available from the publisher, Dr Rob Fletcher. Details of availability are included in the
Advice on Publications Available.Crops of interest included Indian mustard, sesame, canola, linseed, Cuphea, palm oils, South African daisy, sunflower, mustard, industrial oilseeds, meadowfoam, olives, jojoba, and basil
First priority: improve the industry infrastructure.
Stakeholders were identified as growers, exporters, importers, processors, end-users, transporters, storage agents, government, consultants, regional development boards and politicians. These problems would be solved by lobbying politicians, encouragin g involvement in regional development groups and by formation of an industry body to bring together stakeholders to plan the industry. This would be carried out by Industry bodies, such as the Australian Oilseeds Federation (AOF) and working groups, to re present all players in the industry and to approach AOF.
Second priority: improve varieties.
Stakeholders were identified as growers, public plant breeders (CSIRO, State Departments of Agriculture, universities, overseas sources), private plant breeders, outside interests (such as Asian buyers), private seed distributors and marketers, consumers, stockfeed industry members, processors, and end-users and manufacturers. These problems would be solved by obtaining funding from GRDC (Grains Research and Development Corporation), RIRDC (Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation) or private plant breeding companies and would be achieved by the development of business plans and by studying the examples of successful oilseed industries. Sesame improvement is being carried out by the CSIRO, mustard improvement by the Victorian Depart ment of Agriculture and canola improvement by the New South Wales and Victorian Departments of Agriculture, Pacific Seeds, Agseeds and Pioneer Seeds.
Third priority: organise and coordinate the industry.
Fourth priority: collect information about agronomic practices.
Stakeholders were identified as being the same as for varietal improvement, as well as chemical companies, fertiliser companies and rural merchandisers. These problems would be solved by carrying out trial work and by appropriate use of extensio n and the media. The problems would be solved by private and public agronomists, agricultural colleges, crop checking groups, extension personnel, through newsletters and the media, growers, industry agronomists and industry groups.
Fifth priority: overcome limitations associated with the political environment, including vested interests.
These problems would be solved by careful selection of industry group representatives so that all parts of the industry are equally represented and by lobbying those who are impeding the growth of the industry.
Specific industry needs:
Olives: develop techniques for varietal identification and the definition of oil characteristics; identify solutions to general production problems.
Indian Mustard: develop "canola grade varieties" and improve quality and agronomic features.
Sesame: improve the grower perception of the crop as being of high risk; improve the non-shattering varieties; form a growers' association; increase the number of growers and area grown.
Meadowfoam: overcome seed shattering; improve prolonged ripening.
Canola: develop early maturing varieties; recognise the vested interests of grower groups.
Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. This material can be reproduced, with the provision that the source and the author (or editors, if applicable) are acknowledged and the use is for information or educational purposes. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications. Material sourced from the Australian New Crops Newsletter cannot be used out of context or for commercial purposes not related to its original purpose in the newsletter
Contact: Dr Rob Fletcher, School of Land and Food, The University of Queensland Gatton College, 4345; Telephone: 07 5460 1311 or 07 5460 1301; Facsimile: 07 5460 1112; International facsimile: 61 7 5460 1112; Email:
r.fletcher@mailbox.uq.edu.au[
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GK; latest update 6 June 1999 by: RF