- Author Surya Bhattarai, Tieneke Trotter, Delwar Akbar, Azad Rahman and Michael Thomson, CQUniversity
- Publish date 1 December 2023
- Type Report
- ISBN 978-1-7639363-9-3
- Documents
- Broadacre cropping
- Agriculture
Summary
The CRCNA-supported Spicing Up Northern Australia project investigated opportunities to establish a high-value spice and condiment cropping industry across northern Australia.
Led by CQUniversity in collaboration with growers and industry partners, the three-year research project evaluated crop varieties, agronomic practices, market opportunities and commercial production challenges through field trials across Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia.
The research identified promising opportunities for black sesame, fennel and kalonji, which progressed to verification and commercial production trials, while cumin and kalijiri were assessed through initial evaluation trials.
The overarching final report and five accompanying crop-specific reports present the project’s findings, including crop performance, market and economic assessments, production constraints and recommendations for future research and industry development. Together, they provide an evidence base to support crop diversification and the development of emerging spice industries across northern Australia.
Projects
Spicing up Northern Australia with high-value condiment crops
The Spicing up northern Australia with high-value condiment crops project explored the potential for establishing a new high-value spice industry across northern Australia. Funded by CRCNA and delivered by CQUniversity Australia in partnership with AgriVentis Technologies Ltd, the project evaluated the agronomic performance, commercial viability and market opportunities for a range of spice and condiment crops suited to northern farming systems. Over three years, field trials were conducted across Queensland, the Northern Territory and Western Australia, progressing promising crops through varietal evaluation, verification and commercial-scale production trials. The research identified black sesame, fennel and kalonji as the most suitable crops for northern Australian conditions, with black sesame demonstrating strong adaptability across multiple production regions and seasons. The project generated valuable production, market and supply chain knowledge, providing growers with evidence-based information on incorporating high-value spices into existing crop rotations. It also highlighted key barriers to commercial expansion, including mechanised production systems, pest and weed management, and post-harvest processing requirements. The findings laid the foundation for the follow-on Great Northern Spices program, supporting continued industry development, grower adoption and investment in new agricultural opportunities across northern Australia.