Rice Business

In the business of growing and supplying rice to the world, there are many cogs in the wheel.

SunRice is the company which processes and packages rice. After determining which varieties of rice and how much they’ll grow each year, farmers purchase their rice seed from SunRice.

The company sets a price for rice per tonne, which is paid to growers in instalments throughout the year. Farmers receive their first instalment after supplying paddy rice to the storage depots.

Irrigation Companies supply water to growers to enable them to plant rice.

In the MIA, those companies are Murrumbidgee Irrigation and Coleambally Irrigation.

Murray Irrigation is responsible for delivering water to growers in southern NSW, and Goulburn Murray Water supplies water to irrigators in Victoria.

Other industries supported by rice growing and the rice industry include:

• Rural Supplies – providing chemicals, fertilisers, farm equipment, fuel, clothing and other supplies to growers
   
• Irrigation Supplies – supplying all manner of irrigation systems and advice
   
• Machinery dealers – providing tractors, headers and all farm equipment
   
• Service industry – grower support services provided by agronomists, mechanics , auto electricians, contractors
   
• Transport industry – supplying carting services during harvest
   
• On-farm employees – seasonal workers as well as general labour
   
• General retail – the flow on effect of a prosperous industry to the local business community