Australian Organic Grain Production Expected to Triple in Five Years

Market demand for organic grain in Australia still far surpasses available supply. Currently, production of certified organic wheat, oats, and barley in Australia accounts for only 70,000 hectares or 0.1 percent of total production.

Shortages persist on the market, in large part due to a move by the four largest organic grain producers in the country selling their water rights in 2014 and exiting the business, while barriers to entry remain challenging for new producers looking for organic certification.

Additionally, as a knock-on effect, entry into organic livestock production in the country is at a virtual stand-still due to a lack of organic feed availability.

However, alternative grain trader Primal Foods Group has established a team of stakeholders and large-scale growers in the organic grain sector to help the food supply chain boost volumes, increase certified organic cropland to 200,000 hectares within three to five years, and strengthen and increase funding for research and knowledge sharing.

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