The New Crop Industries Handbook Native foods Native Foods Book.indb 1 18/02/2008 2:05:26 PM © 2008 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, Canberra. All rights reserved. This handbook can be reproduced in whole or in part for studying or training purposes subject to the inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source and no commercial usage or sale. ISBN 1 74151 610 2 ISSN 1321 2656 Pub. No. 08/021 Project No. HAS-11A The New Crop Industries Handbook—Native Foods RIRDC shall not be responsible in any manner whatsoever to any person who relies, in whole or in part, on the contents of this handbook unless authorised in writing by the Managing Director of RIRDC. The handbook contains certain references to use of particular pesticides. No representation or warranty, express or implied, is made in relation to whether a particular brand of pesticide is preferable over another or whether a particular chemical product is registered by the National Registration Authority. In submitting these reports the researchers have agreed to RIRDC publishing them in edited form. RIRDC contact details Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 2 15 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Tel: 02 6271 4100 Fax: 02 6271 4199 Email: [email protected] Web: www.rirdc.gov.au On-line bookshop: www.rirdc.gov.au/eshop This extract of The New Crop Industries Handbook (RIRDC Pub. No. 04/125) was printed in February 2008 Design, layout and typesetting by the RIRDC Publications Unit Printed by Union Offset Printing, Canberra Native Foods Book.indb 2 18/02/2008 2:05:26 PM Native foods Overview 1 Bush tomato 9 Lemon myrtle 16 Native citrus 21 Native pepper 31 Quandong 36 The Davidson plum 40 iii Native Foods Book.indb 3 18/02/2008 2:05:26 PM Foreword Farmers today, both those in existing businesses and new entrants, live in an environment where they by necessity have to keep an eye on new opportunities. Changes in commodity prices or new value chain opportunities, let alone changes in types of food or new products, demand a flexible approach to farming. Many crops themselves have a “fashion” element where a new variety of fruit or vegetable can be “in” for a period then “out” with the market. Consumers expect farmers to be able to continue to meet their needs in both food and fibre when they follow these new trends. As well, diversification of cropping opportunities, within the limits of good business sense, provides an essential part of risk management in modern farming. The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation is tasked, within a number of its programs, with assisting agribusiness and the food industries to stay ahead of changes by looking at new crops and their management and potential in the food and fibre industries. Some of these crops are aimed at Australian markets, others are aimed at a mix of domestic and export. Undertaking the research and supporting industries searching for new products is only the first stage of this work. Unless the work is communicated to the widest possible audience the potential of these new crops will never be fully realised. This book contains the Native Food Chapters of RIRDC’s The New Crop Industries Handbook and is aimed at consolidating much of the recent research information into a handy format for those searching for the latest information on Australia’s native crops. I am sure it will prove to be as valuable to both potential and existing farmers as the first edition. Peter O’Brien Managing Director The Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation February 2008 iv Native Foods Book.indb 4 18/02/2008 2:05:26 PM Overview Juleigh Robins Acknowledgment is made to Caroline Graham and Denise Hart, authors of the chapter on bushfoods in the first edition of this publication. Introduction The native food industry has grown slowly since its inception in the mid—1980s. Native foods have proved difficult to commercialise. They have been difficult to commercialise agronomically Native foods (Photo: Catherine de Witt, Stray Cat Images, Melbourne) because they are new crops is not unusual for individuals or supply of native foods. without the benefit of existing companies to be active in more established production systems, than one level and they may be Table 1 lists, at this stage of skills, knowledge and reliable the industry’s development, the plant material. And they have active in all four: most commercially used native been difficult to commercialise • nursery operators foods. It should be noted that the in the marketplace because they • table represents current industry are innovative products without cultivators and wild harvesters knowledge but does not take into an established market or general • commodity traders and value- consumer knowledge. account plantings that are not yet adders—retail and food- yielding fruit, leaf or seed product. Currently it is estimated that the service The majority of the produce industry has a gross production • marketers—food-service and value (farm-gate and ex-nursery) retail, domestic and export is dried, frozen and/or further of between $5 million for processed into value-added The industry operates within a native foods (Fletcher 2003) products. Native foods are and $10 million for native food variety of commercial structures, essentially used in the broader and essential oils from native including single-purpose food industry as a defining flavour plants combined (Lester 2003). enterprises, networks, cooperatives to an existing food product or It is impossible at this time and vertically integrated supply process—for example, condiments, to extrapolate this to a total chains. Commercial horticultural sauces, biscuits and ice cream. “industry” value. cultivation of native food species is expanding; however, managed wild The main markets for native The industry, although very harvest remains an important and foods are in the hospitality and small, has four major levels. It integral part of the commercial tourism food-service, industrial 1 Native foods overview Native Foods Book.indb 1 18/02/2008 2:05:29 PM Table 1. Commercially used native foods: supply status Mainly Cultivated/ Species Mainly wild harvest Supply cultivated wild harvest Aniseed myrtle * Yes No No Under Bush tomato No Yes Yes Under Davidson’s plum Yes Yes No Over Kakadu plum No Yes Yes Over Lemon aspen No Yes Yes Over Lemon myrtle Yes No No Over Native citrus No Yes No Over Native pepper No Yes Yes under Pepper-berries* No Yes Yes under Native mint * Yes No No Under Riberries Yes No No Under Quandong No Yes Yes Over Wattle seed No Yes Yes Over * Recent (since last edition) additions to commercial supply. food manufacturing and retail • under-capitalisation of the • establishing a market focus industries. Within the past two industry in general across all levels of the industry. years some native food brands have • low economic returns to Some necessary steps towards a successfully entered and remained growers through high costs sustainable and prosperous growth in the mainstream retail market. of production and limited in the industry are as follows: There has also been significant markets development in the industrial • • market driven, not production food manufacturing market, both low economic returns to wild driven domestically and internationally, harvesters due to climatic and • over the same time frame. geographic constraints ongoing research and • low economic returns to development in plant selection, The industry requires an ongoing processors due to high cost sustainable production and and targeted focus on the further of ingredients and marketing post-harvest systems—for development of these markets in costs in limited markets cultivated and wild harvest order to achieve critical mass and • establishing food safety and • uptake across industry of food anticipated returns. It will only quality standards succeed commercially in the long- safety and quality standards • low levels of cooperation, term if native food and native food • communication and infor- increasing cooperation, products meet mainstream market mation sharing within the communication and needs. industry knowledge sharing between all levels of the industry The native food industry continues • identifying appropriate ways to face great challenges and must to incorporate Aboriginal • product development to meet find timely solutions if it is to grow interests in the native food market needs further. These challenges include: industry • clear and consistent industry • increasing homogenisation of • supply issues—over and under marketing messages the food industry, which has • supply—not matched to the potential to marginalise generic marketing initiatives to market demand niche foods/products benefit the entire industry. • • inconsistent and unreliable ongoing product development The native food industry offers plant material—yield • market development and opportunities at the agricultural variability, attrition rates, etc. education—native foods level in farm diversification and • establishing efficient and are still largely unknown the development of sustainable sustainable ways to grow and in the domestic and global and environmentally appropriate harvest the crops marketplace agriculture. Native foods overview 2 Native Foods Book.indb 2 18/02/2008 2:05:29 PM At the marketing level, native Marketing overview Table 2 provides some current foods offer a unique point of indicative farm-gate prices for Identifying markets difference to the food industry large-volume sales. These prices are indicative only and frequently globally, adding value by product All commercially used native foods volume users will negotiate a differentiation to potentially are marketed to the Australian tailored price with suppliers. The every area of food manufacture. domestic and export markets in pricing can be expressed as a range There are potential nutritional four major forms: and can change at any time due and functional food benefits and • farm-gate commodity to seasonality, shortage of supply, intangible benefits to Indigenous product—limited value-adding glut of supply, and so on.