Business Commons^™

Beef : Meating The Market, Greg Sawyer, Richard Morris, Geoff Tudor

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Nearly half of Western Australia's beef production is consumed on the domestic market, but the scene is changing rapidly.

In this article Greg Sawyer, Richard Morris and Geoff Tudor review information on production systems performance, and carcase and quality measurements that may well serve wider market opportunities in the future.

Positive Price Outlook For Wheat : Implications For Wa Agriculture, Alan Haagensen, Ian Wilkinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

After a 40 year period over which wheat prices have dropped by an average of 2.7 per cent annually in real terms, fundamental changes in wheat supply and demand look set to reverse this trend. It is possible that real prices could increase by as much as 4 per cent anually in the medium term.

Alan Haagensen and Ian Wilkinson look at the forecasts for wheat prices and outline the forces that will influence world supply and demands for wheat.

A Measure Of Justice For Western Australian Wools, John Stanton

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australian wools are sometimes perceived as inferior to those from eastern States, and this perception has often been reflected in price. For the first time a detailed comparison of the characteristics of our wool with the rest of the country has been undertaken. It shows that Western Australian wools are sometimes different from their eastern counterparts, but not necessarily 'inferior'. Overcoming these industry perceptions of inferiority is probably our biggest challenge, according to JOHN STANTON.

Farm And Station Stay : An Alternative Industry, Not A Hobby!, Garry Palmer

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

When product prices are low, or after bad seasons, it is tempting to look for a fix. But farm and station tourism is not that short-term fix. Before going into such ventures, landholders need to examine all other alternatives that might be available on their properties. GARRY PALMER'S advice could save a lot of heartache for prospective hosts.

Sharing Information Benefits The Meat Industry, Michael Paton

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Cronic health problems of livestock, seldom detected on farms, reduce the efficiency of abattoirs and returns to producers. But a major project providing information to producers from abattoirs is indicating how everyone could benefit from feedback.

Pulses : Profitable New Crops For The Wheatbelt, Kadambot Siddique, Stephen Loss, Ian Pritchard

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Narrow-leafed lupins have beeb produced on sandy acid soils throughout the wheatbelt for more than two decades. However, the wheatbelt contains large areas ofsoilsnot suited to narrow-leafed lupins. For several years reasearchers have been examining alternatives to narrow-leafed lupins for these soils.

Kadambot Siddique, Stephen Loss and Ian Prichard look at production of these new grain legumes, known as pulses.

Food Into Asia, Geraldine Pasqual, Richard Taylor

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Competing for a share of Asia's food market may require playing by a new set of rules. New packaging and labelling formays will need careful and long-term planning and products must match the customer's palate and quality specifications.

Geraldine Pasqual and Richard Taylor explain some of the culturally significant rules of the game and why marketing success greatly depends on understanding what the customer wants and supplying it.

Cauliflower Exports Show Strong Growth, Dennis Phillips

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Cauliflowers were Western Australia's second most valuable horticultural export crop after carrots in 1993-94 with 11,593 tonnes exported for an estimated FOB value of $12.9 million.

Exports have increased 89 per cent in the last five years with spectacular growth in the January to March period. Western Australian exporters have effectively displaced Taiwan from the Singapore and Malaysian markets in this period to become year-round suppliers.

The crop is exported fresh by air or sea with Singapore and Malaysia accounting for more than 90 per cent of sales. Other traditional markets include Hong Kong and Brunei with small quantities going …

New Lamb Marketing Opportunities, Tim Marshall

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The changes to the future operations of the Western Australian Meat Marketing Corporation will provide increased opportunities for prime lamb producers.

In summary, these changes are the removal of acquisition from the domestic market while retaining it for lambs destined for export, and the establishment of the Corporation as a single desk seller on the export market.

This should result in increased domestic consumption of lamb, less reliance on lower priced export markets, a change in the type of lamb produced, and a reduction of imports of lamb from the Eastern States.

Diversification In The Woolbelt, John Allen

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The productivity and diversification initiative for wool growers incorporates two leves of diversification.

Greatest emphasis is placed on industry wide increases in cropping intensity and in the range of crop types grown.

The second level involves non-traditional, alternative enterprises, each offering prospects for expansion of a limited number of wool growing businesses, suited to particular parts of the woolbelt.

The alternative enterprises include floriculture, aquaculture, export hay, farm tourism, commercial timber, horticulture and new animal industries.

Holding Our Edge In Noodle Wheat, Graham Crosbie

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

For many years, the Japanese milling and noodle industries have regarded Australian Standard White (ASW) wheat from Western Australia as the best in the world for the manufacture of white, salted Japanese noodles known as 'udon' (pronounced oo-don).

Recently, the Australian Wheat Board has also developed a significant market for this wheat type in South Korea, where it has been readily accepted for the production of Korean dried noodles.

The Wheat Board has estimated the total market demand from Japan and South Korea for this type of wheat to be 1.0-1.2 million tonnes, equivalent to about 20-25 per cent of …

Should We Export Our Native Birds?, Ross Kingwell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The export of Australia's native birds is prohibited by the Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982. A review of the Act in 1991 has not led to any relaxation of the export ban.

However, the review recommended that government examine "the practical aspects of establishing a fully funded administrative control mechanism to allow strictly regulated commercial exports of a limited number of species of captivebred native birds which are not endangered or threatened". In making this recommendation, the report acknowledged there may be a case for highly regulated export of some native bird species.

This article explores …

Tempting The Japanese Taste Buds, Glenis Ayling

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

"Australia needs to differentiate its product from those of other countries: it needs to do something a bit different toget products on the shelves and sold.

Japanese consumers expect the price to be reasonable and the flavor to be good. They will buy on the image the product cenveys, and the image or 'message' the country of manufacture has in Japan," -

Toshio Tada.

Development Of The Export Wine Industry, Tony Devitt

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

In 1936-37, Australia exported 18.6 million litres of wine, a level not achieved again for 50 years. World War II, the price, quality and style of Australian wine all contribuited to the demise of our wine export markets.

Australia's 'new' wine industry, which surfaced in the 1960s, has re-established our position as a significant exporter of high quality wines that are competitvely priced and percieved tobe 'pure and of integrity.

Western Australia is well placced to have a significant role in the expansion of Australia's wine exports.

Production Of High-Value Wheats : One Sustainable Answer To The Cost:Price Squeeze, Wal Anderson, Alan Peggs, Doug Sawkins

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Farmers and scientists alike over the past decade have sought to address the declining terms of farm trade (the cost.price squeeze) by increasing wheat yields in ways that will ensure both their economic and ecological survival. Nevertheless, costs have continued to increase as a proportion of the value of the product.

Many farmers have increased their wheat yields substantially and the industry as a whole is more conscious of the quality of its product.

Over the past 10 years or more there has been intense interest in, and considerable adoption of. conservation farming techniques such as minimum tillage, residue retention, …

Mango Exports From Western Australia, Peter Johnson, John Gallagher, Terry Hill

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The Department of Agriculture has been at the forefront in developing a mango industry in Western Australia.

In Camarvon, the Department is concentrating on developing an export industry, while in the Ord River Irrigation Area trials have identified suitable domestic and export varieties for that environment.

The effect of planting density, hedging and pruning techniques on yield is being examined. Research has also started on identifying superior selections of the Kensington Pride variety, the most commercially important variety in Australia. The aim is to improve fruit quality, bearing reliability, and to extend the production season..

Production And Marketing Of Vegetables And Fruit, John Burt

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Vegetable and fruit production in Western Australia is a diverse, high value industry. Up to 75 different crops are grown from Kununurra in the north to Albany on the south coast.

Our horticultural industries were worth $238,127,000 in 1990-.91, which represented 18 per cent of all crops produced in Western Australia.

Markets for horticultural produce are volatile. For most lines, produce has been well supplied for the past four years, owing to an increasing area of production, higher yields, improved postharvest technology and reduced consumer demand in the recent recession.

Export Of Rockmelons From The Ord River, John Bonnardeaux

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The Ord River Irrigation Area and Carnarvon are the main production areas for cucurbits in northern Western Australia. Cucurbits are also grown in Derby, Broome and around Lagrange, south of Broome.

The area planted to rockmelons in the Ord River Irrigation Area has increased from 20 ha in 1980 to 425 ha in 1992.

Rockmelon production, the most important horticultural industry in the Ord River Irrigation Area, is worth about $9 million. It accounts for about 25 per cent of the Ord's dry season value of production

A Bright Future For Export Plums, Ric Engel, Glynn Ward

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Western Australia's stone fruit industry is relatively small by Australian and world standards owing to its small domestic market and past uncertainties with export. However, the industry is expanding to take advantage of growing markets in south-east Asia. It has adopted new production and marketing technology and is developing new varieties to meet the demand.

The future for our export plums has never been as promising as it is today. This is linked to fruit quality because markets are fickle and highly sensitive to poor quality fruit.

The introduction of a Quality Management Program in 199~91 helped the State develop …

Development Of Redglobe Table Grapes For Export, Ian Cameron

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Exports wereonce a major outlet for the Western Australian table grape industry.

Over the last 20 years however, exports have fallen from 500 to 00 tonnes per year, despite an increase in the area planted to table grapes and an increase on overseas demand for our produce.

By 1993 less than 3 per cent of the table grapes produced in the State were exported.

The introduction of Redglobe, a new table grape varietyy from California, is expected to increase the export of table grapes from Western Australia to 1000t by 1997, when the variety will represent 90 per cent of …

The Export Carrot Industry, Angie Galati, Allan Mckay

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Carrots are the single most important horticultural export commodity from Western Australia.

In 1991-92, over 23,000 tonnes of carrots worth more than $12 million (fob) were exported. The State now exports about 70 per cent of its carrot production to Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and the Middle East (see Table 1). These exports account for more than 90 per cent of Australian carrot exports. The State's carrot exports started in the mid 1970s. In 1977-78, only 2170 tofcarrots were exported, but exports have increased steadily since then (see Figure 1).

Export Of Asparagus From The Ord River, John Bonnardeaux, Chris Robinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Fresh asparagus is presently supplied to Australian markets from August to March from temperate regions. For the remainder of the year, there is no significant production of fresh spears in Australia.

Recent research in Taiwan, Zambia and Zimbabwe has indicated quality asparagus can be grown in tropical and subtropical regions. The harvest period can be manipulated by withholding irrigation water and cutting fems to make spears grow out-of-season.

A Tale Of Two Ladies : Pink Lady And Sundowner, John Cripps, Eleanor Melvin-Carter

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

It is five years since the first Western Australianbred Pink Lady and Sundowner apples were sold on the local market. In that time, these crisp, sweet flavoursome apples have become top-selling, premium fruit.

The story is no different overseas. Trial shipments to London, Taiwan and Singapore have indicated a big demand for the unique Pink Lady apple - far more than Western Australia can presently supply.

One million fruiting Pink Lady apple trees are needed to meet anticipated export sales. Today, there are only 100,000 trees in the ground, of which about half are bearing fruit.

New high quality apple …

The Agricultural Implications Of Europe 1992, Ross Kingwell

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Most farmers know only too well that the policies of national and international governments affect the prices they receive for their produce. The Europe 1992 policy is a new policy with potential to benefit Australian agriculture. The Europe 1992 policy is a set of policy initiatives being adopted by member countries of the European Economic Community (EC). The 1992 policy aims to create a barrier-free internal market among EC members by the end of 1992. All impediments to trade within the EC are to be dismantled. The Europe 1992 policy is already causing change in many European markets and is …

Capretto : A New Meat Industry, R J. Suiter

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Capretto is the term the Italians use for the meat from a goat upto 20 weeks old. For centuries goat meat has featured on tables from the Mediterranean to asia and the Pacific Islands.

Western Australian premium quality capretto has a dressed weight of between 6 and 1kg. Its pinkish flesh is tender and leaner than sheep meat, so it's ideal for the health conscious.

This article describes a market development programme undertaken by the Department of Agriculture's Goat Industry Development Unit (GIDU) and the Australian Cashmere Growers Association's (ACGA) Meat Marketing Committee to establish a premium market for capretto …

Live Sheep Exports : Market Update, E J. O'Loughlin

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

The live sheep export trade has made an important contribution to the Western Australian sheep industry, with the value of exports peaking at $100 million f.o.b. in 1980-81. In that year Western Australia accounted for 61 per cent of the value of Australian exports of live sheep. In addition, the growth of the live export industry has contribuited to higher prices for other catagories of sheep than would otherwise have been the case.

Lupin Processing : A New Development, R S. Coffey

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

For a number of years Grain Pool marketing representatives have approachd stockfeed manufacturers around the world in an attempt to broaden the market for Western Australian lupin seed.

Wherever there was enough consumer interest to conduct a nutritional evaluation of the product, lupins were found to be non competitive for inclusion in both pig and poultry rations, while at the same price being acceptable as a cattle feed ingredient. The reason for this disparity proved to be the varying degrees of fibre digestability of lupins for the various livestock tested.

It became apparent that the fibrous lupin seed coat or …

The Economic Potential Of Cashmere Production, A T. Kelly

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Although the cashmere industry has developed rapidly in eastern Australia, development in Western Australia has lagged behind because of local restrictions on the use of feral goats. However, recently the Agricultural Protection Board has eased these restrictions.

In Western Australia there are about 30 to 40 producers with commercial cashmere flocks, involving a total of 7,500 to 10,000 goeats. In most agricultural areas where sheep production occurs, cashmere production is also possible.

In the following article, A. T. Kelly, an adviser with the Marketing and Economics Branch, discusses the economic potential of cashmere production in this State and compares …

Alternative Land Uses, D A. Morrison, B. C. Mattinson

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

One aproach to minimise the high nutrient content and associated algal pollution of the Peel-Harvey estuarine system is to reduce phosphorus losses at their source. Farmers can do this by changing land use is such a way thar phosphorus run-off fromthe catchment soils into drainage is prevented or at least reduced.

The department of Agriculture is investigating the economics of alternative uses, particularly substituting forestry with Pinus pinaster or Eucalyptus globulus (Tasmanian blue gum) for present beef and sheep enterprises. P. pinaster is used for logging and E. globulus for pulping.

Forward Contracts For Marketing Beef Cattle, D J. Barker

Journal of the Department of Agriculture, Western Australia, Series 4

Beef producers in Western Australia have established a scheme for marketing cattle of specified quality, at a price negotiated in advance with the buyer. This eliminates the financial risk for the producer in feeding beef cattle and ensures a supply of quality beef for the meat industry and the consumer. However the contracts can only be profitable if the producer 'does his homework' properly. This article outlines the items he should consider.