Developing an oilseed industry in Northern Australia

Project locations: Laura, Mareeba, Cairns, Innisfail, Walkamin

Project partners: Farmacist Pty Ltd ; Olive Vale Pastoral Pty Ltd ; Lakeland Farming ; Savannah Ag Consulting ; MSF Sugar Pty Ltd ; Grains Research & Development Corporation ; LPC Agriculture

Project summary and impacts

Developing an oilseed industry in northern Australia investigated the potential for oilseed crops to become a new and diversified agricultural industry across northern Queensland.

Led by Savannah Ag Consulting and project partners, the project established multiple oilseed trials across Far North Queensland to identify which oilseed crops were best suited to northern growing conditions and how they could be integrated into existing farming systems, particularly sugarcane rotations. Trial and demonstration sites were established across Laura, Mareeba, Cairns, Innisfail and Walkamin, as well as in the Burdekin and Mackay regions, to support grower engagement and agronomic decision-making.

The project screened a range of oilseed crops and identified several promising opportunities for future industry development. Particular focus areas included safflower production during sugarcane winter fallows, future biodiesel production from safflower oil and the longer-term potential for regional oilseed crushing facilities. Research also identified practical agronomic outcomes for soybean production, including benefits from reduced sowing rates and improved disease management strategies.

Importantly, the project demonstrated how oilseed crops could contribute to more diverse and resilient northern farming systems by providing alternative crop rotations and additional income opportunities for growers. While large-scale commercial uptake remains limited, the project established a strong foundational knowledge base for future research, adoption and expansion of oilseed industries in northern Australia.

The work continues to support ongoing investigation into profitable oilseed production systems, biofuel opportunities and integrated cropping models suited to tropical and subtropical northern environments.