Seafood CRC: Australian Barramundi Farmers Association - R&D planning, implementation, extension and utilisation
The Australian barramundi farming sector is a small and growing industry, with the opportunity to sell high quality product at premium prices.
Although many aquaculture ventures across Australia have licences to grow barramundi, the industry comprises only 25 ventures that produce barramundi on sufficient scale to regarded as full time enterprises. These businesses have little or no capacity to coordinate investment in, and manage industry development. There is great difficulty in providing a whole of industry perspective on R&D and hence difficulty in capturing the benefits of scale arising from investment in innovation. Collective action on R&D will help capture the benefits of R&D and will deliver future growth.
The ABFA is now established and well positioned with the CRC to implement its strategic plan and to integrate R&D work across all stakeholders under its leadership. CRC staff have participated in several planning meetings, the proposed projects have been decided.
There is now a need for the ABFA to appoint one of our members to act as a liasion point with the CRC, to ensure barramundi farmers are involved in the R&D and contribute their resources when required. This person will also faciltate effective communication and coordination with all stakeholders, particularly at the start of projects and coomunication of results.
Final report
This project allowed work with the Australian Barramundi Farmers Association (ABFA) to:
- Coordinate the planning, implementation, and reporting of R&D projects conducted by the Seafood CRC to achieve the outcomes specified in the ABFA Strategic Plan.
- Facilitate the barramundi farming industry participation in Seafood CRC projects and the extension and utilization of the project results, particularly in relation to the development of new products and new markets.
- Work towards establishing a mechanism by which the ABFA can fund its own R&D coordination and communication activities.
This project provided ABFA with the capacity to provide information and essential contacts and support to CRC participants and researchers involved in projects relating to this industry. This was especially important as the capacity of the industry was stretched as a result of floods and cyclones. The resources provided as part of this project enabled research and development to continue as a priority.
Seafood CRC: setting directions for the Australian Barramundi Farmers Association (ABFA) - development of a strategic RD&E Plan for the Industry.
This project is critical for the future of the ABFA. As the industry moves to a self funded RD&E model based on industry contributions, the development of an agreed and strategic approach to investing industry funds must be undertaken to achieve the greatest return on investment to industry. This cannot be achieved unless there is an inclusive and wide ranging canvassing of ABFA RD&E needs across the diverse operations within the industry.
The ABFA does not have resources within its reserves to carry out this project and as such it relies solely on its residual CRC funds to undertake the project.
Final report
The Australian Barramundi farming industry has seen constant growth in production and price over the last 10 years, but the industry is facing threats from a number of sources. The Australian Barramundi Farmers Association (ABFA), which represents the vast majority of producers and over 85% of farm production, has taken a leading role in seeking to address these threats. To maintain viability, and increase growth and profitability, an industry developed, endorsed and resourced, program based, Strategic and RD&E Plan was required to provide the ABFA with clear direction on where to focus resources and investment.
An inclusive face to face interview process was undertaken, liaising with all ABFA members to gather key industry issues across the diverse industry membership (regional and production system). This process allowed all members to equally contribute to the plan’s development. These industry issues were workshopped through a series of Industry meetings, and distilled into priority industry needs. These were developed into seven industry Goals and associated Strategies, and the resourcing required to address those goals across the industry’s regional and production methodology diversity was identified.
As a result, the ABFA has already adopted the Australian Barramundi Farmers Association Strategic and Research, Development and Extension Plan - 2015–2020, which provides clear and formalised guidance on ABFA's activities. The focussed and strategic program based approach means the ABFA is much better positioned to optimise its financial and human resources through a structured RD&E program, complimented by a coordinated extension program.
Setting strategic directions for the Australian Barramundi farming sector 2020-2025
The Australian Barramundi Industry is growing rapidly in terms of production. Collectively the key players in the industry have plans to heavily invest in production capacity, which is likely to result in more than doubling of production over the next five-ten years. A key lesson learned from other emerging agrifood industries is the critical importance of developing a sustainable market by building demand ahead of the expanding supply base in order to mitigate against price erosion. Too often, new industries are preoccupied with the production challenges of their category and ignore the marketing side. Building new markets usually requires a balanced multi-channel strategy covering supermarkets, specialist retailers, food service and export. Multi-channel marketing is critical to avoid any particular channel becoming flooded. Although Australian barramundi is an iconic fish, it faces strong competition from cheap imports.
Pivotal to the success of an emerging industry in its growth phase, is the need for industry discipline with the necessary governance and funding frameworks and processes in place. Most of all, the industry needs to be guided by a strong and focused strategic plan which has the full and enthusiastic support of the member companies.
Final report
The strategy was facilitated and written by McKINNA et al with close input from members of the Australian Barramundi Farmers Association and ABFA CEO Jo-Anne Ruscoe.
At the time of writing this strategy, it was difficult to assess the full extent of the pandemic shock and ABFA were in the process of preparing a number of response scenarios. How these scenarios play out will influence the priorities and timing of this strategy and ABFA will need to remain flexible in its implementation of the plan. Because of the pandemic, projects identified in the earlier drafts of this strategic plan that were deemed to be important to the long term development of the industry have had to be put on hold because of the significantly reduced resources. This final version of the strategic plan has been edited to reflect what industry consider is realistically achievable in the current funding environment. The programs that have been put on hold will be revisited when resources permit.
Notwithstanding the disruption of the COVID 19 event, this strategy remains sound in its intent and will be relevant for the five year strategy horizon and beyond.
Development of an independently driven production reporting and forecasting survey for Australian farmed barramundi
For many years the ABFA has been concerned that the industy's own production estimates and forcasts exceed official statisitics.
Also, a lack of information about production capacity and production scheduling across the industry has resulted in supplies to market not being synchronised with demand.
This has resulted in substantial variabiluity in seasonal price and availablity. This damages the quality brand being built for Australian farmed barramundi and the important attribute of farmed produce being consistancy of quality, supply and price.
This project will supply industy particpants with essential information about likely production volumes and market supplies. the data will enablle farmers to better manage feed regimes, stocking and harvesting to take best advantage of market forecasts.