|
November 25, 2002
A five year strategic plan
launched last Friday, November 22 (see
release) sets out to boost the image of this nation¹s
mungbeans in the international marketplace, with specific
actions that will improve the performance of all industry
sectors.
It sees the mungbean industry doubling in size to a
"consistent and high quality" 100,000 tonnes a year through
grower education, better cultivars with assured production and
supply of pure seed, more transparency in the marketing process,
more sustainable pest management and a strong industry structure
winning more research funding.
The plan is the result of months of debate and negotiation by
the people who grow, process and trade Australia¹s mungbeans -
and the scientists who help them do it under the umbrella of
the Australian Mungbean Association.
Detailing strategies for 2003-2008, the new strategic plan was
launched at a ceremony in Brisbane, replacing an earlier, and
generally successful model that began in 1997.
AMA president Brian Algate says
the mungbean industry holds an unusual responsibility in
grain production, because mungbeans are a specialist food
crop, requiring high standards of safety and hygiene.
"Producer confidence in the production and marketing of
mungbeans is crucial if the industry is to grow to and over
100,000 tonnes a year," Mr Algate said.
"That¹s why the Mungbean
Association is backing the new strategic plan with the
simultaneous release of a Code of Practice for registered
Mungbean Processing Establishments and a "Marketing your
Mungbeans" guide for producers. "The association believes
the Code of Practice will encourage uniformity in the
packing and marketing process, including a clear schedule of
potential fees, realistic indications of quality, price and
a realistic time frame for the sale and payment and a
grading report. |
 |
|
Assessing the
mungbean industry¹s new strategic plan after the Brisbane
release: (from left) Daryl Young, Namoi Rural Traders, Wee
Waa, Australian Mungbean Association chairman Brian Algate
and GRDC Northern Panel member Chris Joseph. |
"AMA Registered Processing
Establishments are also committed to minimising deterioration in
storage through the use of aerated silos and soft handling
techniques.
"The Marketing Your Mungbeans guide for producers details the
processes they can expect in selling their crops, the factors
that contribute to grading losses, the expenses to be incurred
during grading, packaging and preparation for shipment and the
information that can be expected from the marketing process."
Mr Algate said, while the Code of Practice and marketing guide
were the two major components of the Strategic Plan¹s goal of
grower education, there were also plans for agronomic packages,
export information updates and a publication for accredited
mungbean agronomists.
To develop mungbean cultivars that would perform consistently,
the Strategic Plan called for the sourcing and screening of
local and overseas germplasm to select and identify desirable
traits according to the requirements of the industry
Other goals covered by the strategic plan include:
- more sustainable pest
management, including registration of new product technology
for mungbeans and achieving best practice with it, and post
farmgate management of pests like bruchids;
- ensuring pure seed production
and supply, through a seed scheme with a quality assurance
process with uniformity across the industry, audited by the
AMA, delivering quality seed at equitable value,
- maintaining a strong industry
structure, with increased grassroots grower representation,
for a unified approach to a range of industry problems, and
- a range of activities to
increase funding for mungbean research.
|
