When I joined the Ricegrowers' Association of Australia (RGA) in 2005, the decision had already been taken to stop attending the Sydney Royal Easter Show. This was a budget decision mostly, as the drought was starting to bite and priorities (and funds) were reallocated to maintaining the industry's base. It was probably wise timing, as the drought continued (got worse in fact!) and water allocations fell to 0% resulting in historically low plantings.
A decade later and I'm pleased to see the seasons have returned and the rice industry is back at the Easter Show!
I took my four-year old Food Farm veteran along to road test the exhibit.
A largely misunderstood crop in Australia, rice is a fascinating industry - with unique agronomic characteristics and a variety of end uses. It's also great example of a grower-owned, high value, branded, vertically integrated industry.
Not only do Australian growers own the popular and familiar brand SunRice, but as you discover in this exhibit, Australian rice pops up in unlikely places!
Growing Rice in Australia
Contrary to popular belief, rice is actually a perfect fit for the Australian environment!
Australians don't grow tropical varieties, rather we specialise in medium grain, temperate varieties.
Medium grain rice is not suited to tropical climates, but the Riverina’s dry hot summers and heavy soils provide ideal growing conditions.
Australia's competitors in the medium grain market include California and Egypt.
See, rice is not just an Asian crop!
A close up of the mighty grain growing at the Easter Show!
A healthy environment is a focus for Australian rice growers who take pride in their contribution to biodiversity outcomes. You can read more here.
Milling
One of the most popular misconceptions about white rice is that it is bleached brown rice, when in fact it is all natural. The outer layer of bran is merely polished off leaving the perfect white grain ready for consumption.
And the really exciting thing is, no part of the grain is wasted! There is a use for the bran and any broken grains.
Products made from Rice
We're all familiar with the SunRice pillow packs in our supermarkets, but Australian rice is used in a range of products, including snack foods, cereals, beverages and pet products - many of which are probably in your pantry right now!
And this is what it's all about folks, engaging with consumers. Telling the story of rice, one conversation at a time.
You can learn more about the Australian rice industry at the RGA website.
