November 15, 2002

The Australian mungbean industry, on quite a roll already, will call for a bigger, better future when it officially launches its new five year strategic plan in Brisbane on November 22.

The plan, drawn up under the auspices of the Australian Mungbean Association, has input from all industry sectors ­ growers, research scientists, advisers, processors, traders and end users.

It will call for a larger mungbean industry ­ up to double the current size ­ with a quality focus underpinned by unprecedented collaboration between industry sectors.
 
And there will be simultaneous releases of four brochures aimed specifically at improving grower confidence in mungbeans, essential if the industry is to grow to the extent envisaged by the plan.

The brochures will cover the history of mungbean in Australia ­ including details of international markets and competing countries ­ a producers guide to marketing, the code of practice agreed to by registered mungbean processors and a listing of accredited mungbean agronomists.

The four brochures are being published with the support of growers and the Federal Government through the Grains Research & Development Corporation (GRDC), which also supports the national mungbean improvement program and a number of other mungbean-oriented research projects.

Australian Mungbean Association chairman Brian Algate says the new strategic plan sets out to build on the successes of the industry¹s first five year plan that began in 1997.

"The Australian mungbean industry has changed considerably since the first plan was written but there are still challenges aplenty," Mr Algate said.

"One of the goals of the first strategic plan was to lift the Australian crop to 50,000 tonnes and the industry generally has been able to achieve this despite disappointing seasons over the last decade.

"Given good summers, with decent rainfall, we could end up with 100,000 tonnes and the mungbean industry now has the infrastructure and marketing ability to handle a crop of that size.

"While Australia is fast becoming recognised as a good supplier to the world market, and our commitment to clean and green production is appreciated, that market is changing too. India once bought at the bottom end of the market but now, like everyone else, it is looking for quality.

"The Australian industry needs to assess the changing market, decide where our marketing impetus should increase and develop a complete export package that can be promoted internationally."

Mr Algate said the industry was looking to the five year Mungbean Improvement Project ­ begun in 1998 with the support of growers and the Federal Government through the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) ­ for more valuable new varieties like the recently developed White
Gold, which will be part of the future of the industry.

White Gold promised the Australian industry access to the higher international prices available for premium sprouting grade mungbeans. Added to the improved agronomy flowing from the accreditation program, better varieties would improve grower confidence in the crop.