Seafood CRC: Australian Oyster Industry Supply Chain Analysis & Improvement Strategy
The oyster industry is characterised by a dependancy on a long and complex supply chain and it is one cause of poor product condition and presentation at point of retail.
1. This application results from the strategic setting directions of the CRC Oyster Consortium, as a body representing the interests of the oyster growing industry within the Seafood CRC. Whilst the consortium do not have a fully articulated strategic plan, Marketing (& Supply Chain) was identified in 2007, and confirmed in 2008, as the third highest research priority for the industry. Please refer to priority matrix completed by the Oyster Consortium in April, 2008 and attached as Appendix 1 to the CDIPM Proposal.
2. The Oyster Consortium also recognises that an examination of the structure and costs within the supply chain is vital before any market focussed projects can be designed and funded for the oyster industry. Analysing the supply chain and incorporating elements of the supply chain into market strategies was identified as a priority at a market investment meeting of the Oyster Consortium on 7 August 2008.
3. There is a need to build the capacity for supply chain analysis within the Seafood CRC. The University of Adelaide has committed the time and expertise of a new Post Doctorate fellow to assist this project at no cost to the project. This will assist the University of Adelaide to build its expertise in Australian Oyster supply chain issues with a view to assisting them with work that may arise from this project.
4. Results of supply chain performance studies support the need for this project to better understand the opportunities to create value for all participants in the supply chain.
Final report
Australian oyster growers have a greater level of understanding about how their product moves through the supply chain from when they produce to when it is purchased by consumers. This knowledge will allow growers to be better informed and so allow them to make better business decisions in how they market their oysters. Further, the information provides growers with a better understanding of the factors that influence the purchasing decisions of others in the supply chain and hopefully to dispel some of the ‘myths’ associated with the marketing of oysters. Importantly, the report provides a total of 11 prioritised recommendations for the industry to consider that in the opinion of the consultant will contribute to improved consumption and / or profit sustainability
Seafood CRC: "Passion for Prawns" - Benchmarking performance
The Passion for Prawns initiative has been developed in response to the industries key challenge of improving market value.
The Australian prawn farming industry has had a gradual decline in the average price recieved for its prawns over the past three to four years, and arresting and turning around this pattern is critical to the future success of the industry.
The 'Passion for Prawns' initiative will deliver investments across a range of activities all linked together with the shared goal of improving market value. By increasing the market value of farmed prawns the industry will significantly grow its value from its existing operational base.
This proposal which represents Stage One of the 'Passion for Prawns' initaitive will assist with creating the foundation for future activities in the intiative by identifying key measurable business performance indicators, and factors impacting on the performance of farms against those indicators.
By targeting our efforts through this preliminary work we will be better positioned to deliver nearer term outcomes.
Final report
The “Passion for Prawns’ Benchmarking Report has three distinct components. The first component relates to the collection of information pertaining to the production, processing and marketing practices currently undertaken by Australian aquaculture prawn growers. Further, this information has been used as the starting point for the development of a prawn industry specific benchmarking software tool that will allow for the ongoing entry of growers’ data and the calculation of both quantitative and qualitative Key Performance Indicators (KPI’s). The benchmarking software is provisionally referred to as “PrawnBM”.
The second component of the report provides an outline of the key findings from the research that was undertaken with both post-farm gate members of the prawn supply chain as well as growers. In particular, it attempts to highlight the principal areas where CDIPM believes that the industry may benefit from investing time (and funds) that will allow the industry to achieve greater sustainability by providing a product that meets the needs of consumers. These focus areas can be grouped into cost reduction strategies, additional revenue generation activities and improved product quality activities.
The third component provides a series of recommendations on how the focus areas identified in the second component of the research may be undertaken by the industry, so that the industry and its members are given the tools to improve their economic performance and sustainability.