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Welcome to RIRDC's major publication with comprehensive information written by experts on nearly 100 new rural industries.  To ensure speed of downloading, this html version does not contain any tables, photographs or figures. For the full version, download the pdf file from each page (you'll need the free Adobe Acrobat reader). However, at the time the book was published, some of the chapters in PDF form do not contain all the tables and figures either.

The original Handbook was published in December 1997. Its usefulness has been enhanced by two RIRDC reports published since then:

a) 1988 - The New Rural Industries Financial Indicators (99/38)  which provided information on the cost profile and possible returns of eight case studies; and

b) 2000 - Full Report: Financial Analysis of New Rural Industries – Volume II 00/133 HAS-6A (3.4 megs -)
Builds on Volume I (below) by widening coverage to other ‘new industries’. Eleven enterprise options are analysed and benchmarked against two other options – wine grapes and Treasury Bonds. View a html verison of the Executive Summary and Introduction.  In additon to the report which you can download as a self-extracting zip file (3.4 megs), you can also download Excel files to help make site-specific analyses for an actual investment (Excel 97 or later required).

Excel files:

Alpacca  Durian Livestock Template Sesame	Crop Template Emu Medicinal herbs Winegrapes	Culinary Herbs Govt. Bonds Persimmon	Dairy Goats Jojoba Red Deer
South African Proteaceae

Foreword

The pace of change in Australian agriculture is increasing rapidly in response to changes in world and domestic consumption patterns and the need to increase profitability and sustainability of its resource base. A major response to change has been the emergence of new industries often based on new and innovative technology.

I see this as a significant opportunity for farmers to develop their businesses in new directions. There will also be new opportunities for rural communities through the provision of new material inputs and services.

The sector has a small but growing group of business managers who are developing enterprises quite different to traditional industries like sheep, wheat, beef, sugar and dairy. These new industries are adding important diversity to our farm base reducing the sector's reliance on a few bulk products and associated markets.

Many of these new enterprises are based on our native flora and fauna while others are based on new market opportunities, be they in the export or domestic markets. Others are now developing because technology leaders have pushed out our knowledge boundaries, be they in growing, harvesting or processing. In our tropical north, industries are also emerging as we gain a better understanding of the requirements for intensive agricultural production in those areas.

What all these new rural industries have in common is that they are small, are more risky because they are new, and relevant information is not readily accessible. They are not like our mainstream industries where there is ready availability of information based on well tried technologies. The innovation and business like approach by many of these new enterprises also provides a model for more traditional farmers to follow.

This Handbook has been prepared to fill the information gaps on these new industries. Its aim is to provide a first step for those thinking about investing in new fields of agriculture. Each entry has a list of key contacts and references for follow-up. It is an essential reference for those with an interest in the new and emerging industries of Australian agriculture, be they farmers, investors, processors or research providers.

John Anderson
Minister for Primary Industries and Energy
December 1997

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Preface

This handbook has been produced by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation in response to the many requests received by the Corporation each week from farmers, investors, newspaper reporters, bankers, politicians, regional development advisers and students for up-to-date, factual information on the smaller, emerging and new rural industries.

It has been produced in collaboration with the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation which has sponsored the section on aquaculture industries. FIRDC and RIRDC have been jointly sponsoring research on aquaculture opportunities for Australia's inland waters.

Each chapter in the text has been researched and written by experts in the particular industry or product. They are people who are well known to RIRDC and FRDC for the quality of their research or their active involvement in the industry in question. Each chapter has also been reviewed by industry practitioners, researchers and by a RIRDC_FRDC review panel.

The handbook addresses the most frequently asked questions about the market prospects and production_processing requirements for some ninety smaller or prospective new rural industries.
It is a factual text which gives a `warts and all' assessment of the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats for each industry.

This introduction for prospective investors in, or the student of new industries is intended as an overview, but guidance is given to more detailed
information-each chapter lists key references and contacts for follow-up information.

Prospective investors and industry advisers are encouraged to use the text as an initial reference and are advised to undertake more detailed personal follow-up investigation of each industry and its suitability to regional and personal circumstances. While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy and currency of the information in each chapter at the time of writing, the markets are changing and new information is becoming available regularly.

The production and editing of the handbook has been managed by Keith Hyde, a former Managing Director of the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation, member of the Australian Special Rural Research Council and researcher and adviser on new industries for rural Australia.

The Rural Industries and Fisheries Research and Development Corporations thank all the specific authors and the many behind the scenes contributors to `the publication. In addition, we would like to acknowledge the editorial assistance, design and layout work on the publication by Ed Highley and his staff at Arawang.

Peter Core
Managing Director
RIRDC

December 1997