Rice Towns

A number of towns – small and large - are supported by rice growing, including:

Leeton

Leeton is home to the headquarters of the Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia, along with processing and marketing company SunRice. It was the first town to be established as part of the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area and the Shire has a population of over 11,000 people.

Griffith

Griffith is a major rice growing area, with hundreds of farming families involved in the industry. It has a population of around 25,000 and relies heavily on cropping and horticulture for its economic stability.

Deniliquin

Deniliquin is a major agricultural centre in south-west NSW and is capable of producing significant tonnages of rice. It is home to the largest rice mill in the southern hemisphere, and has a population of just over 8,000.

Coleambally

Coleambally is the newest town in NSW and the region was designed for irrigated agriculture in the 1950’s. Farmers secured land through a ballot system and the region now supports some 1200 people.

Other towns

The towns of Hay, Finley, Barham, Wakool and Moulamein are also heavily dependent on the rice industry.