The national science agency, CSIRO, today announced plans to help put Australian native foods on the menus of restaurants and meal tables of families around the world.

A four-year trial will find out how to increase production of Australia's native plants so farmers can put native fruit and vegetables on the menus of restaurants and households around the world.

CSIRO scientist Maarten Ryder says we need to find out how to better commercially farm native foods, before other countries grow them overseas and sell the produce back to us and other export markets.

"This scientific research will gather comprehensive information to evaluate conditions for native plants cultivation," says Dr Ryder.

"Countries like Israel or the US would love to get their hands on these native plants, so we owe it to ourselves to learn how to better cultivate and grow them on a commercial basis. We know Israel is already conducting preliminary trials with quandong and is looking for stocks of native citrus to grow."

"We are in danger of losing our competitive advantage unless we protect our position."

The study's results will be shared with the Australian native foods industry, who will play an active role in the trials. Australian Native Produce Industries Pty Ltd of Renmark, SA, is the main industry cooperator, and Primary Industries and Resources SA is also involved.

The research will focus on quandongs, mountain pepper, bush tomatoes, muntries, riberries, two native citrus and acacias, from which wattle seeds are harvested.

Dr Ryder says the fledgling native foods industry is worth an estimated $14 million annually but its export potential is yet to be realised because it can't guarantee regular supplies of high quality produce.

He says the industry is hampered from further growth because it has little knowledge about optimal commercial farming conditions, in some cases harvesting products from the wild.

The study will gather world-first data on how native foods grow in different climatic environments, with mini-orchards established at five sites in SA and one in Victoria.

It will investigate how to best grow and harvest native foods in order to lower production costs and increase product quality. It will also investigate susceptibility to pests and fungal diseases.

"Longer term the CSIRO trials hope to provide knowledge that leads to sustainability," says Dr Ryder.

The project also incorporates an Aboriginal traineeship, to ensure Western-style research into native foods is shared with the Aboriginal community.

Dr Ryder says growing more native food may also help combat salinity problems in Southern Australia and encourage farmers to diversify from traditional crops.

The project is sponsored by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation and the Aboriginal Education Employment Development Branch (SA Department of Education Training and Employment).

More information:
Dr Maarten Ryder CSIRO Land and Water 08 8 303 85 34
Ms Margaret Bryant CSIRO Land and Water 089333 6215 or
0417 247 241
Photo opportunities are available with native foods.

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Left to right: Maarten Ryder, Yvonne Latham

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