Background
The Pasture Seeds R&D
Program covers levied temperate pasture seeds of which the major crops
comprise lucerne, medicago species, clover and sub-clover seeds. Leviable
pasture seed production is concentrated in SA, Victoria and NSW however
the majority of pasture seed growers are multi-commodity farmers and do
not identify as seed growers in census and survey collections.
In 2004–05 Australia produced
around 15,000 tonnes of certified seed – around 2.6% of all OECD seed produced.
Around half this was pasture seed. The GVP of production of pastures and
grasses harvested for seed in 2003–04 is estimated at $120.5 mill (ABS
2005). Production data is limited as the levy only covers a small proportion
of seeds grown, there is little data collected for the industry, and farm
based trading is common.
Trends suggest that the volume
of Australian production has been significantly affected by drought conditions
and that this trend is likely to increase for another one to two years
due to lag effects of the drought on production. The current high fodder
prices are also impacting on seed production as growers are cutting their
crops before seed set to take advantage of good returns.
Opportunities for productivity
and product enhancements through improvements to technology, analysis and
standardisation of seed products, and crop management are moderate to good
and the industry has focused strongly on addressing market requirements,
establishing new markets and developing a high quality product.
In 2005–06 Australia imported
7,000 tonnes of pasture seeds valued at $16.5 million. Imports have trended
downward over the past five years, however the impact of drought has caused
an interim spike in volumes imported. In this period, the major pasture
seeds imported have been rye grass, fescue and clover seed. Most imported
seeds arrived from New Zealand (4,700 tonnes worth $10 million) and the
United States of America (2,000 tonnes worth $5.5 million). The value of
imports of pasture seeds within this program’s scope from 2001–02 to 2005–06
was $80 million.
The export value of certified
pasture seeds has been steadily climbing since 2001–02 from $50.3 million
to $60.5 million in 2005–06 – a growth rate of approximately 17%. In 2005–06
Australia exported 14,400 tonnes of pasture seeds valued at $60.5 million.
This compares with a five-year average for the period 2001–02 to 2005–06
of 16,500 tonnes and a total value of $270,731 million. The USA is the
biggest importer of Australian pasture seeds, namely lucerne (alfalfa),
worth $16.4 million to the Australian economy in 2005–06 and worth about
30 % of the Australian pasture seeds export market. There are also expanding
markets in China, Argentina, Brazil, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia,
China, Korea and Germany. The majority of exports were clover and lucerne
seed, providing 2,434 tonnes ($12.5 million) and 6,590 tonnes ($29 million)
respectively to the export market.
Future growth of the industry
is dependant upon maintaining high quality certified seeds, identifying
new markets and targeting cropping to market needs.
The current levy encompasses
only a small proportion of the industry and this impacts upon the level
of funding that can be generated to support R&D. The R&D Advisory
Committee have been working with key stakeholders seeking their assistance
in negotiating an expansion to the range of leviable seeds. In addition,
a change to current regulation for levy payment is expected to be passed
in Parliament in early 2007 to expand the number of authorised levy collection
agencies.
Some
Key Performance Indicators
-
Presentation of research outcomes
at two key industry meetings, to improve industry understanding of R&D
results
-
Improved inter-agency cooperation
through attendance at two Pastures Australia meetings and funding of one
joint project in 2007–08,
-
Uptake of irrigation study results
by industry practitioners leads to reduction in water use in South Australia
-
Release of four research reports
addressing industry-identified research needs
Strategies
for 2007–08
-
Improving seed production technologies
to maximise yield, quality and processing efficiency – particularly in
relation to understanding the prevalence and spread of bacterial wilt in
lucerne seed crops and all aspects of the maintenance and continued availability
of public seed varieties
-
Improving the collection and
dissemination of knowledge on the seed industry and support for effective
adjustment to change
-
Investigating mechanisms for
incorporating environmental considerations in sustainable production systems
-
Fostering emerging sciences
/ technologies and risk assessment
Expected
key outputs for 2007–08
-
Development of innovative seed
production technologies to ensure the commercial success of new varieties
-
Definition of the impact of
toad rush (Juncus bufonis) on subterranean clover seed crops
-
Investigation of the impact
of conversion from border check to drop tube irrigation for lucerne irrigated
with saline water
-
Establishment of a seed scheme
for mixed varieties of subterranean clover
-
Participation in the Pastures
Australia initiative
-
Presentation of program outcomes
at industry meetings
Expected
key outcomes in 2007–08
-
Maximised yield, quality and
processing efficiency resulting from identification of improved seed agronomy
techniques
-
Improved understanding of crop
impacts arising from pasture management practices
-
Improved leverage of research
funding through cooperation with other R&D corporations
-
Enhanced understanding of the
program objectives and the research undertaken
Understanding of how to
incorporate environmental considerations in sustainable production systems.
This sub-program has its own Five
Year Plan which is accessible in hardcopy and on the Internet at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/pastures.html
New
projects being funded or under consideration in 2007–08 include:
| Project
No |
Title |
Researcher |
Phone |
| 000023 |
Improved
harvesting and thrashing methods for medic and biserrula pods* |
Leigh
Ballard |
08
9881 5711 |
| 000024 |
Agronomic
support packages for raised bed lucerne seed production * |
Luke
Kirkby |
0428
512 963 |
| 000027 |
Alternative
harvest methods for subterranean clover seed and management of arrowleaf
seed crops* |
Belinda
Hackney |
02
6938 1858 |
| 000030 |
Development
and assessment of leafcutter bee survival, management and reproduction
in Southern Australia |
Scott
Campbell |
0417
887 562 |
| 000032 |
Economic
analysis and feasibility study of the Australian lucerne seed industry |
Tom
Yeatman |
08
8842 6224 |
Note: An asterisk (*) indicates
that the Corporation is still to finalise amendments to the project.
Research
Budget: $495,000
RESEARCH PROGRAM
