Better linking alternative oilseeds growers with domestic and overseas markets is what the Council of Grain Grower Organisations (COGGO) hopes to achieve after receiving funding from the Australian Government’s New Industries Development Program.

The $12,500 scholarship will assist COGGO Marketing Manager Eliot Jones and COGGO partners, Centre for Legumes in Mediterranean Agriculture (CLIMA) and University of Western Australia (UWA), develop markets for the niche, high value oilseeds camelina, linseed and Indian mustard.

Germplasm from Russia’s Vavilov Institute has been evaluated in Western Australia’s south-west for the last three years and COGGO now hopes to link researchers with growers, via a specialty oilseeds grower group, bulk-up seed across Western Australia and then move from experimental to commercial scale production using the expertise of COGGO Seeds.

Mr Jones said developing an alternative oilseeds industry in Western Australia was a complementary fit with COGGO’s foundation investment in Canola Breeders Western Australia.

“Prospects are exciting and, in the case of camelina, in May this year 19 tonnes of seed from 25 hectares grown last year at John Thomas’ Dowerin farm, was cold crushed at Riverland Oilseed Processors in Pinjarra. This was Western Australia’s first camelina crushing.

“Interestingly, that oil, produced here from seed generated from camelina germplasm from Russia will now be exported to Europe for use in the food and cosmetics industries.

“The by-product, camelina meal, will be used domestically as race-horse feed,” he said.

Researcher Margaret Campbell, who has headed the alternative oilseeds project at CLIMA, with support from RIRDC, said alternative oilseeds camelina, linseed and Indian mustard were shaping up well.

Indian mustard, for example, is quite drought tolerant and therefore quite productive in Australia’s low rainfall areas.

Ms Campbell explained some of the pros and cons of Indian mustard: “While it doesn’t require swathing and can flourish with minimal fertiliser inputs, animals are sensitive to the glucosynolates that make it hot, so its meal must be limited in stock rations.”

Linseed, with high Omega 3 linolenic acid in the oil (60 to 65 per cent), is a desired health food supplement.

Mr Jones explained that COGGO’s partners had unique, visually appealing golden linseeds, which could be valuable as a differentiated health product attractive to the baking and heath food sectors.

The New Industries Development Program scholarship will fund Mr Jones and COGGO to conduct market research, create alliances with potential customers, undertake training courses, experience new areas of business and markets and receive advice from experts.

Mr Jones invited Western Australian growers keen to help develop the alternative oilseeds industry, to contact him, Tel 9363 3400, to register their interest and share in valuable market, technical and agronomic information.