Government support for new crop R and D has been extremely important in the past and such support is likely to be critical for new crop development in the future. Where a crop can be readily incorporated into existing farm systems there is an improved chance that the new crop industry will grow quickly and result in a sizeable new industry. Although the involvement of large companies can be important in the growth and development of new crop industries, it is not always necessary for the successful growth and development of an industry. Although a long payback period can constrain the development of some new agricultural industries, other factors are generally more critical in determining success. More attention should be paid to existing and potential competition on the demand side when assessing the potential of a new crop industry.
Industries have the potential to grow large and quickly regardless of the type of crop.
Industries that are geographically concentrated, and have a greater degree Of integration of production and marketing are not likely to grow more quickly or become larger than industries that are geographically dispersed and dominated by individual producers. Any claims made by authors in the Australian New Crops Newsletter are presented by the Editors in good faith. Readers would be wise to critically examine the circumstances associated with any claims to determine the applicability of such claims to their specific set of circumstances. Contact with the original author is probably wise since the material may require updating or amendment if used in other publications.