MEMBERS of the Grain Industry Association of WA's (GIWA) Oat Council have just returned from an overseas trip aimed at gaining a first-hand understanding of current and projected market quality requirements for oats, so that industry can respond and remain competitive in a global marketplace.
Discussions focussed on current and potential food products, with an emphasis on sensory evaluation, nutritional traits, health attributes and opportunities to grow oat consumption through the inclusion of oats into meals other than breakfast.
Over the past decade the demand for Australian oats into China has grown from 10,000 tonnes to 250,000t, with this market now the largest export destination.
GIWA Oat Council chairman Ashley Wiese said the trip was undertaken to gain an understanding of how customers evaluated the sensory qualities of oat products using an Asian palette.
"Sensory evaluation of our oat products by Asian customers has not been clearly understood by our industry in the past and with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's support the GIWA Oat Council recently sent a delegation of its members to Taiwan and China to connect with our key customers," Mr Wiese said.
"We were also keen to gain an understanding of where our customers are investing in the research and development of new products so that we ensure our breeding targets are aligned.
"Over the last couple of years the Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) has been evaluating the potential for oats to be used in novel oat products into Asia, such as oat rice and oat noodles, and has been evaluating how differences in oat varieties affect the physical and sensory quality of these products.
"This has included in-market work to understand customer quality requirements for oats."
Along with Mr Wiese, other members of the delegation included AEGIC senior oat and barley quality project manager Mark Tucek, South Australian Research and Development Institute principal oat breeder Pamela Zwer, DPIRD senior oat researcher Georgie Troup, InterGrain chief executive officer Tress Walmsley and GIWA Oat Council vice chair Anna-Lisa Newman.
"Oats are a niche crop representing only one per cent of the global grain trade," Mr Wiese said.
"Because of this it is important that effort goes into developing markets as well as increasing supply.
"Just increasing production alone does not always result in a better economic outcome.
"The trip was also intended to give our customers an opportunity to discuss any challenges that they face using our product and to provide them with the personal contacts that allow them to connect with us in the future should any issues arise.
"With breeders, researchers and farmers in the room it allowed for our customers to have a direct conversation with the people who set the targets for the breeding program, who develop agronomic best practice and who grow the grain.
"It also allowed the industry to inform the customers about the challenges they face in their quest for the perfect oat.
"It was wonderful to have AEGIC's support of the oat industry and to show our customers that through AEGIC we can support customers by understanding their quality requirements, oat variety qualities and new product development."
Mr Wiese said one take away message was the value that customers saw in Australian oats over other origins.
"Australia often featured prominently in their branding and marketing and the sensory qualities of our oats were often preferred by customers," he said.
"This is a testament to the breeding efforts and direction that the R&D team and industry have made to date.
"It was wonderful to see the genuine passion for our grain flow right through our industry from breeder to customer.
"It is a reputation that our industry must work hard to protect.
"The issue of food safety, and risks of chemical residue in grain was raised consistently and our customers appreciate the great difference Australia has due to our oat crop being sun-ripened rather than desiccated.
"I am really proud of the stance that the oat industry has taken on this topic and it is a powerful advantage in helping to grow our position in the market."
Mr Wiese said the delegation was also hosted by Austrade at the China International Dairy Expo in Tianjin.
"Australia had a strong presence at the conference with most export hay companies being represented," he said.
"Lupins for feed is currently in the market access approval process into China and it was an opportunity for customers to see samples of the product and to discuss where it could fit into their feed ration.
"The hay industry is also discussing the potential for wheat and barley hay to be allowed access to the Chinese market.
"The delegation also had the opportunity to meet with Stuart Crockett from the WA Trade Office and Ben Mitchell, agricultural counsellor, from the Australian Embassy Beijing to update them on the status and growth of oats into China."
In 2016 GIWA sent a delegation to Russia to bid for hosting the 2020 International Oat Conference.
GIWA was successful in winning the bid and in October 2020, the 11th International Oat Conference will be on show in Perth.
"The conference will attract oat breeders and researchers from around the world and will be a great opportunity to promote the quality and health benefits of Australian oats," Mr Wiese said.
"We are hoping that the Australian oat industry gets behind this event as it is a great opportunity to put this great product on the stage."