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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