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Download (4Mb) - USQ ePrints - University of Southern Queensland

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Executive Summary<br />

What the report is about<br />

This report provides a pre-feasibility assessment <strong>of</strong> the mallee woody crop supply chain based on a<br />

comparative assessment with the sugar supply chain. The report will assist in developing a sustainable<br />

supply chain for the mallee industry. The report covers the supply <strong>of</strong> material from the field to<br />

potential processing facilities and discusses potential mallee products and markets, business and<br />

commercial structures and supply chain planning and management required to support this delivery<br />

chain.<br />

Who is the report targeted at?<br />

The report is targeted at the stakeholders <strong>of</strong> the mallee woody crop industry. Stakeholders include:<br />

• Seedling nurseries and contract tree planters<br />

• Farmers<br />

• Harvesting contractors<br />

• Road transport operators<br />

• Biomass processors and conversion industries<br />

• Consumers <strong>of</strong> the products from conversion industries<br />

• CRC, university and public sector industry development workers<br />

• Private sector industry development individuals and corporations other than farmers<br />

The report is <strong>of</strong> particular relevance to the mallee industry <strong>of</strong> Western Australia where mallee trees<br />

are an integral part <strong>of</strong> wheat cropping systems. The findings are also relevant to other mallee areas in<br />

South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria and <strong>Queensland</strong> where production is focussed on<br />

biomass production and is not integrated with other cropping systems. The principles and approach <strong>of</strong><br />

this study could also be applied to other biomass supply chains.<br />

Background<br />

Short cycle tree crops such as mallee’s have the potential to play an important role in the long-term<br />

sustainability <strong>of</strong> low rainfall agriculture. The economic sustainability <strong>of</strong> the mallee industry depends<br />

upon developing markets and industries to utilise the biomass. A fundamental part <strong>of</strong> this<br />

development is the biomass supply chain; the system which links the crop in the farm paddock to the<br />

processing factory.<br />

Significant research and development has to date focussed on the development <strong>of</strong> processing facilities<br />

for mallee oil and mallee harvesting systems. Only limited formal consideration has been given to the<br />

complete biomass supply chain, from field to factory.<br />

This project has undertaken a pre-feasibility assessment <strong>of</strong> the mallee supply chain, industry structure<br />

and potential markets and products, with an aim to optimise the supply <strong>of</strong> material from the field to<br />

the processor. The Australian sugarcane industry is a large biomass supply chain and therefore has<br />

synergies with a mallee biomass system and therefore it <strong>of</strong>fered a compelling opportunity to inform<br />

the mallee industry based on similar supply challenges and 100 years <strong>of</strong> experience.<br />

Project investigations relate primarily to the mallee woody crop industry in Western Australia and<br />

pertain both to existing harvesting systems being developed under the Future Farming Industries CRC<br />

programs as well as for expanded production capacity. The principles and approach <strong>of</strong> this study<br />

could also be applied to other biomass sources and regions.<br />

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