Tropical Grasslands (1997) Volume 31, 311–314 311

Opportunities for contributing to the development of Aboriginal food

B. STYNES following paper, I give a brief overview of the New Industries Program, Agriculture Western existing industry, an impression of where it might , South Perth, Western Australia be heading over the coming years and lead into a discussion on how the Australian Tropical Forages Genetic Resource Centre (ATFGRC) Abstract might play a role in this development. As a first step in obtaining an overview of the The fledgling Australian Bushfood Industry is industry, a contact list was developed with valued at $14 million and is growing at c. 75% industry and government, and a scoping Work- per annum. Eleven species have been identified shop was held in in February 1995. At which currently comprise the core of the this Workshop, a number of needs for the industry; these are utilised in a wide range of fledgling industry were identified: foods, with the major portion as chutneys, jams • An awareness of the structure and extent of and other . The industry is currently the industry in Australia; focussing on the top end of the culinary market. • Improvements in production and marketing; Bushfoods include material which is wild- • Issues such as quality management and food collected or nursery-grown. Little or no effort has safety; and been put into selecting improved genotypes. Con- • A co-ordinated approach to development servation of genetic diversity is through the through the establishment of a peak national activities of rural communities and individual body. enthusiasts. It is likely that there is scope for As a result, ANBIC (Australian Native Bush- genetic improvement through selection of bush- food Industries Committee) was established. The food species. Although the industry sees activities of this Committee were funded by enhanced value in bushfood which has been RIRDC for a 12-month period from July 1995, to collected from the wild, there would appear to be determine whether the Bushfood Industry has the opportunities for selecting improved genotypes potential to achieve the status of a significant for larger-scale production. rural industry over the next 10 years, and to develop a strategic management framework to facilitate this development. Over this period, Introduction ANBIC has completed a range of tasks, including the commissioning of an Industry Plan and a dis- During my period working with the RIRDC cussion paper on the toxicological aspects of (Rural Industries Research and Development native food plants. The Committee completed its Corporation), I became closely involved with the brief when it held a National Conference in Australian Bushfood Industry. I first became Brisbane on 3–4 May, 1996. aware of this industry through a visit by Mr Vic Cherrikoff, of Supplies, NSW. Although the meeting was almost by chance, Vic Ongoing support convinced me that this was an emerging industry that was in need of assistance if it were to The assistance to date by RIRDC has been develop in a planned and structured way. In the funded through the New Industries Pro- gram. It was made clear to the Bushfood Industry Correspondence: Dr B. Stynes, New Industries Program, Agriculture Western Australia, 3 Baron-Hay Court, South that any continued support would depend on the Perth, WA 6151, Australia outcome of the National Conference. Given the

312 B. Stynes success of the Conference, RIRDC has com- The value of the Australian Bushfood Industry mitted additional funding in the 1996/97 budget in 1994–95 was c. $14 million (Table 1). The rel- to support initiatives that will further underpin atively low average returns to growers, nurseries the development of the industry. and wild harvesters reflects the part-time nature of the businesses and the limited scale of the industry. None of the suppliers who attended the Composition of the Bushfood Industry National Conference derived all of their income from producing or harvesting bushfood. In con- The ANBIC survey showed that the Bushfood trast, the processors and end users included a Industry included a number of sectors. These number of specialist enterprises that were doing include: quite well in the Bushfood Industry. • Wild harvesters, including Aboriginal communities; • Industry nurseries which range from specialist Table 1. The value of the Australian Bushfood Industry. businesses to those which carry a limited range within a broader stock; Industry sector Harvesters, Processors, Total growers, end users (1994–95) • Processors, ranging in scale from cottage level nurseries to major bread manufacturers; • Food service groups, including QANTAS Number of businesses 75 74 149 Business value (mean, $) 8 600 176 190 International Flight Catering; and Total value ($) 645 000 13 038 060 13 683 060 • Restaurants, ranging from the novel to the sophisticated upmarket sector. Leading chefs in the industry have been Despite this apparent disparity between the involved in numerous overseas promotions and sectors, the industry was quite optimistic at the associated with political delegations. It is esti- National Conference and, if the current growth mated that there are at least 160 enterprises rate of 75% is maintained, the industry could be involved in the Bushfood Industry, including 75 worth $100 million within 3 years, this being the that are involved with the supply of the raw growth target estimated by ANBIC. product and a further 64 involved as buyers, While there are numerous products, there are manufacturers and retailers. only about 11 core species, based on turnover The known list underestimates the true num- and likelihood of expansion (Table 2). Common bers. There are recently established plantings of names have not yet been standardised, and there bushfoods such as quondong orchards which is still heated debate on this topic. While this have not been included and some unidentified may seem to be relatively unimportant, if the restaurants and food service businesses. More industry is to progress on a professional footing, significantly, there are numerous Aboriginal and there will need to be agreement on uniform Torres Strait Island communities involved in nomenclature for the various bushfood species, growing bushfood. as an aid to effective marketing.

Table 2. The principal species used in the Bushfood Industry.

Common name Botanical name Growth form Edible part Weight purchased (tonnes; 1994-95)

Bush tomato Solanum centrale shrub fruit 5.0 Illawarra plum Podocarpus elatius tree fruit 2.5 Kakadu plum Terminalia ferdinandiana tree fruit 2.5 aspen Acronychia acidula tree fruit 3.6 Lemon myrtle citriodora shrub 2.5 Mountain pepper lanceolata shrub leaf/berry 2.5 Muntries Kunzea pomifera shrub fruit 5.0 Quondong Santalum acuminatum tree fruit 3.0 Riberry Syzygium luehmannii tree fruit 2.5 Wattle seed Acacia spp. tree seed 6.0 Wild lime Mirocitrus spp. tree fruit 0.7

Contributing to the development of Aboriginal food plants 313

Most of the listed species occur in Queens- developed that is uniquely Australian and in land, with the exception of Kunzea pomifera, which bushfoods comprise an essential part. The which is restricted in distribution to cooler cuisine needs to have a prominent image at the regions of South Australia and , and top end of the market, particularly while supplies , which occurs in cooler are low and unit costs are high. areas of south-eastern states. However, a related species T. stipitata (northern pepper bush) is found in . Industry structure Fruit of most of the species in Table 2 are har- Like most new industries, individual enterprises vested fresh and frozen for later use. The excep- are fiercely independent and the industry tion is quondong, the fruit of which is halved and fragmented and unco-ordinated. This was dried, and then reconstituted. The quondong acknowledged at the National Conference and kernel can also be roasted and eaten; it resembles led to agreement to the formation of a National a small nut. are generally Association to replace ANBIC. dried and ground for use as a or . Wattle seeds are generally roasted and milled, and used as flour. Markets Markets are the key to the success of the industry Marketing and value of bushfood and these need to be developed carefully. Initially, the focus needs to be on the service area Whereas the total raw tonnage of about 40 tonnes and a training program needs to be put in place to seems relatively low, we need to remember that show the service industry how to use the products very little is used in the raw state. The value of in food preparation. More widespread use in bushfoods is largely related to the distinctiveness restaurants will educate the wider community and intensity of the flavours imparted to food gradually and create a demand, initially at the preparations. The proportion of bushfood in service end and eventually at the household level. marketed products can be as high as one part in three or four, or as low as one part in thousands. An example in which very small quantities of a Products bushfood are used is with blackening spice, a To have an impact, the range of products pro- mixture of mountain pepper and lemon myrtle, moted initially needs to be restricted, so that the which gives a distinctive flavour to prepackaged consumer can become familiar with flavours and fillets of ocean trout and Atlantic salmon uses. A stream of new products being released currently selling through gourmet delicatessens. continually will confuse the public and delay the Another example is specialty flours, including recognition and adoption of a unique cuisine. small quantities of wattle seed flour and a range of , for baking bread. At the other extreme, there is limited use of Aboriginal involvement small quantities of fresh product by the service and catering industry. However, the bulk of the The industry already has strong involvement by bushfood product is currently used in bulk Aboriginal communities, particularly at the preparations of jams, chutneys, sauces and other harvesting level. However, Aborigines have also condiments. contributed through the identification of food products and development of traditional uses and cooking methods. Future development of the The future of the Australian Bushfood industry, with Aboriginal involvement at all Industry levels, offers a unique opportunity for cultural fusion, and needs to be fostered. Vision ANBIC has been conscious of this need and Although no agreed vision has been adopted by has ensured Aboriginal representation on the the industry to date, the general view expressed interim Committee as well as on the Board of the at ANBIC meetings is that a cuisine should be new national body.

314 B. Stynes

Research and development although in some nurseries it is likely that best available genotypes have been propagated. Con- The development of an R&D plan is a priority of servation of genetic diversity is in situ through the new national body. This is clearly required if the activities of rural communities, and in a technical and commercial package is to be nurseries of individual enthusiasts. It is possible developed which will underpin the future success that there could be a role for a genetic resource of the industry. centre to ensure conservation through seed. It is likely that there is scope for genetic improvement Selection and improvement through selection of bushfood species. Although the industry sees enhanced value in bushfood Bushfoods include material which is wild- which has been collected from the wild, there collected or nursery-grown. Little or no effort has would appear to be opportunities for selecting been put into selecting improved genotypes, improved genotypes for larger-scale production.