Push on to start up a Mossman rice industry
FNQ Agriculture
Mossman farmers searching for a reliable crop to help replace the flagging local sugar industry have been looking into the possibility of farming rice.
More than 20 primary producers from Mossman to the Burdekin met in Gordonvale on Monday to discuss how to develop a Far North Queensland rice industry.
A host of industry and government bodies were involved in the talks, including Regional Development Australia and the State Government Primary Industries Department.
The meeting heard that North Queensland farmers have successfully grown commercial rice crops in the past, but there is currently no viable market for the product, despite rice being well suited to the region’s climate and soils.
The group discussed small-scale test projects that have been assessing the best tropical-region rice varieties.
Douglas Shire farmers at the meeting said they were looking for an alternative to sugarcane after the recent closure of Mossman Mill.
The group said more investment was needed into research on what types of rice the market wanted, and how to store and process the crop.
There were high levels of grower interest in rice and an urgent need to diversify the Mossman agriculture industry, the meeting heard.
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