The managing director of the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) Peter Reading has outlined his organisation’s vision for the future of the Australian grains industry, which he hopes will keep growth within the grains sector above 3pc a year.
Mr Reading said the GRDC is dedicated to a three-tiered approach to R&D, including short, medium and long-term projects.
Speaking at the Australian Grains Industry Conference (AGIC) last week, Mr Reading said finding a balance between immediate productivity gains and longer term research is vital if the grains sector is to continue its strong rate of growth.
“Throughout the history of grain production in Australia we’ve seen innovations such as mechanisation, the use of fertiliser and improved rotations add to productivity, now the challenge is to continue to evolve," he said.
“We have a target of annual growth of 3pc (for wheat industry productivity) and we need to work hard to achieve that.”
Mr Reading said the GRDC had identified key areas it believed would play big roles in evolving the grains industry.
They are:
• Plant breeding
• Improved rotations
• New herbicides
• Improved fertiliser uptake
• Mechanical advances
Mr Reading said the GRDC’s challenge is to get the right mix between research and extension.
“It’s no good making these advances if the information and products aren’t out there and the farmers aren’t taking them up.”
He said the GRDC’s belief is that future yield advances would be due to:
• Two thirds improved production practices and
• One third improved varieties.
On the breeding front, Mr Reading said he was happy with the current arrangement where work is shared between private industry and the government.
He said the continuation of the end point royalty (EPR) system is vital if Australian farmers are going to get the best possible varieties for their conditions.
There is a range of projects the GRDC is working on that will benefit growers, according to Mr Reading.
One of the major areas put forward as the new frontier of wheat breeding, is the drought tolerant wheat research conducted in Victoria, which has seen promising results in developing cultivars that can handle moisture and heat stress better.
Mr Reading believes this will become increasingly important in the drier conditions in the future.
Another project is work on a low-emissions feed grain, which, when fed to animals, cuts down on methane emissions.
Mr Reading said the breeding industry would work closely with marketers to ensure there is a path to market for new varieties.
“We need to ensure these varieties will be attractive to buyers or else there will be no call for them.”
A united approach is essential to get the most out of government R&D dollars, Mr Reading said.
“There needs to be a single vision approach to ensure we get the most out of what we put in – and we need to avoid the sector becoming fragmented," he said.
“At present, the Australian R&D model, with collaborative work between the government and private industry is the envy of the world – we’ve got to protect that advantage.”
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