- Author CRCNA and research partners
- Publish date 23 June 2026
- Type Report
- Documents
- Broadacre cropping
- Agriculture
Summary
This impact evaluation summarises the outcomes of CRCNA project: A.2.1819045 Spicing up Northern Australia with high-value condiment crops, which investigated the commercial potential of high-value spice crops across northern Australia.
The assessment demonstrates how the project established the agronomic and market foundations for an emerging spice industry, identifying black sesame, fennel and kalonji as promising commercial opportunities. It highlights the development of grower capability, improved understanding of efficient supply chains, more than $4.5 million in follow-on investment and a documented return on investment of 13.04:1.
The report also outlines the technical challenges that remain for large-scale commercial production and how these findings directly informed the follow-on Great Northern Spices program, supporting continued industry development, farm diversification and regional economic growth across northern Australia.
Projects
Great Northern Spices
Great Northern Spices is building the foundations for a commercially viable spice industry in northern Australia, helping producers diversify with high-value condiment crops suited to regional growing conditions. Building on the CRCNA’s earlier Spicing up northern Australia with high value condiment crops project, which identified sesame, fennel and kalonji as promising cash crops, this project is addressing the key barriers to large-scale commercial adoption. Working across northern farming systems, the project is generating practical, region-specific knowledge to support growers in integrating spice crops into both existing and new production systems. This includes optimising planting protocols, pest and disease management, machinery performance, and post-harvest processes such as drying and cleaning to maintain seed quality and maximise yields. The project is also strengthening the commercial case for spice production through gross margin analysis, value chain development, and the data needed to support future export market access. Extension activities, grower resources and industry engagement are helping build the capability required to establish a sustainable northern spice sector. With strong domestic and international market interest, these crops present a significant diversification opportunity for northern producers, with projected demand supporting substantial future production of sesame, kalonji and fennel across the region. Check out the grower guide factsheets in publications below! Open access to the Sesame Diseases and Pests journal article here: https://www.mdpi.com/2673-7655/5/4/44 Open access to the Adaption of Grain Cleaning Equipment for Kalonji and Sesame Seeds, journal article here: https://www.mdpi.com/2624-7402/7/6/179 Visit AgriVentis for more resources on growing sesame in northern Australia: https://www.agriventis.tech/resources
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.