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To improve the profitability and sustainability of the Australian rice industry.

Research Manager: Ms Margie Thomson, Phone: 02 6271 4130, Email: margie.thomson@rirdc.gov.au\
 

RIRDC Rice Research Results:
Rice publications for sale	Free downloadable research reports
Free Short Reports (research sumaries)	Five-year Rice Industry Plan
Completed Projects in 2006-2007 & Research in Progress as at June 2007
Handbook of New Industries entries	Rice Agfacts (factsheets)
About the RIRDC Rice Research Program:
RIRDC Rice Program Brochure (PDF file 1meg)
Key Program Strategies	Some key performance indicators
Background	Strategies for 2007-2008
Expected key outputs in 2007-2008	Total program budget 2007-2008
New projects funded in 2007-2008
Industry related links:
Rice Growers Association of Australia
Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Rice Production

• Provide varieties that result in increased efficiency at the farm level, meet customer requirements and maintain pure seed quality
• Improve crop establishment, agronomy / physiology, nutrition and protection from weeds and diseases
• Improve the profitability and sustainability of the rice-based farming system
• Develop world best practice technologies for harvesting and handling of rice to the farm gate
• Foster and achieve innovation, both on and off farm

The Gross Value of Production (GVP) has fluctuated over the last five financial years due to changes in production caused by severe drought conditions in 2003, 2004 and 2005. GVP has averaged $198 million over the last five years, peaking at $333 million in 2006 (ABARE). Prices received by rice growers are highly variable with rice paddy returns averaging $204 per tonne in 2000–01 and $299 per tonne in 2003–04. Returns averaged around $280 per tonne in 2005–06.

Over the last 20 years the number of farm businesses that have predominantly grown rice has declined as the size of the area operated per business has increased. ABARE estimate there are currently around 1,500 rice farm businesses. Rice yields averaged 8.7 tonnes per hectare over the last five years. The highest yield recorded was in 2003 with 10.2 tonnes per hectare being produced and the lowest yield being 6.7 tonnes per hectare in 2005. Cold temperatures during panicle formation can dramatically reduce yields, as experienced during 2005.

Domestic per capita rice consumption has increased from 2 kg per person in the late 1970s to 11kg per person in recent years. Rice consumption is expected to continue to increase due to a number of factors including immigration from Asia and the Middle East; changes in cuisine that include rice, and continued growth of the food service and processing sectors. International demand for Australian rice is also expected to increase, despite import protection barriers restricting sales in a number of potential key markets.

Continued improvements in efficient water usage will be key to the future profitability and sustainability of the industry.

To address the impact of the current drought on Program income, a significant drawdown in financial reserves will be required in 2007–08. Further, researchers of current projects have been requested to reduce their budgets by up to 15%. This will allow a Program budget of $2.0 million in 2007–08 and no new projects will be funded.

Some Key Performance Indicators

• Broadly based attendance by growers at industry extension workshop, resulting in greater uptake of R&D
• A new farm planning and assessment tool developed and available for use by farmers
• Continued development towards new rice varieties with improved yield and quality attributes and water use productivity
• More uniform crop establishment
• Improved rice water use performance

• Application of RIRDC reserves policy to sustain high priority R&D
• Complementary research to the existing breeding and quality evaluation activities (with special emphasis on yield, quality and cold tolerance)
• Improve crop establishment, agronomy, physiology, nutrition management and precision agriculture
• Research that will provide effective and sustainable control of major rice weeds, pests and diseases
• Whole farm planning and assessment tools to ensure profitability and environmental sustainability
• Research to optimise participation of people and develop their potential to contribute to the industry

• Extension of current research into crop agronomy and plant physiology
• Development towards a further variety of cold tolerant rice
• Development of one new method for control of major rice weeds, pests or diseases
• Improved water management protocols for rice growers
• Progress towards the development of a new farm planning and assessment tool for rice farmers
• Development of a farmer extension package to extend the understanding of Program research and sustainable farming methods

 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

This sub-program has its own Five Year Plan which is accessible in hardcopy and on the Internet at www.rirdc.gov.au/pub/ricr&d.html

Research Budget: $2,139,000

AgFacts - Agricultural information from around Australia