It attracted much interest from researchers, planners and industry, and led to a significant publication, Developing New Agricultural Industries-Lessons from the Past. The interest that it generated is indicative of the changing attitudes in Australia towards alternative foods. An industry working party has been established to develop strategies for the bush food industry and to identify research, development and extension needs. This finding has profound implications for growers in that it suggests that instead of stopping the trees growing in the early winter by withholding water, lychees should be stimulated to grow and thereby encourage flowering. Progress in grains and legume research is illustrated by the South Australian Research and Development Institute lentil improvement program.
Lentils have good commercial prospects, both for import substitution and export.
The project involves the evaluation of a wide range of spice cultivars from around the world and the development of agronomic packages to support their commercial production in Australia. Particularly good progress has been made in bulking up commercial lines of coriander, dill, fenugreek and mustard. The ABIA was established in 1992 to promote the establishment of a viable bamboo industry in Australia. The Association has its Headquarters at Belli Park on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland. There are three categories of membership.