Sharing the opportunities The Australian agave industry is currently in its infancy, with commercial agave spirit production only occurring in Queensland, although there are trial plantations across most states. Most Central and Northern Queensland regional areas provide highly suitable conditions for agave farms. A good example is the mining town Collinsvale, which is serviced by a railway and provides ideal conditions for growth and transport.
Partnering with farmers
Vircura’s mission to forge the agave industry in Australia complements Queensland’s regional development plan, in the support for regional upskilling and employment opportunities in townships as well as for land reclamation projects in mining towns. It is an opportunity for Australia to be a strong exporter of biomass feedstock for green hydrogen production and sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). Vircura welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with Queensland based researchers and industry to further enhance this sustainable business opportunity.
In partnership with innovative farmers, Vircura wishes to initiate large scale agave plantations at farms across a wide range of regions in Queensland and other states and territories. Vircura aims to provide large scale biomass feedstock to revolutionary biotechnologies such as hydrogen, renewable diesel, bioethanol, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) whilst also reducing greenhouse gas. Agave can grow in many different conditions which will appeal to farmers in marginal rural areas.
Giving further credence to the plant is AgriFutures Australia’s recent publication of a compact business case on agave’s acceptance as an emerging agricultural sector, and Vircura’s recently awarded grant to develop agave as an emerging crop. The business case identified current plant production cost as a challenge to a viable industry. Vircura has overcome this challenge by investing in state-of-the-art plant propagation technology which will produce plants at a feasible cost and is considering production of up to 10 million plants per annum to meet expected future demand. At a planting rate of 5,000 plants per hectare, the opportunities for farmers in marginal regional areas is immense.
09
08
09
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online