Biotechnology in Tasmania
Agriculture, Forestry and Environmental Biotechnology
Tasmania’s temperate climate and fertile soils is a perfect environment for agriculture. As an island state, Tasmania also remains largely bio-secure, boasting an absence of many major pests and diseases found elsewhere in the world and has attracted investment from several big pharmaceutical companies.
Research Organisations
The Tasmanian Institute of Agricultural Research is an example of a research organisation that works closely with the agricultural industry. The institute undertakes research and development programs which address agricultural productivity, safe food production, social and natural resource management.
Tasmania is the most forested state in Australia, with 50 per cent of its land under forest cover. Tasmanian forests generate many products including decorative veneers, newsprints, hardwood, woodchips and paper. Tasmanian researchers are continually working on improving conservation, management and sustainable production of forestry products.
Environmental biotechnologies align well with Tasmania’s natural resources, with 40 per cent of research in Tasmania to address environmental management issues.
Tasmanian research organisations in this sector include:
Businesses
Tasmania is the largest producer of the opium alkaloids, codeine and thebaine, producing 50 per cent of the world’s legal poppy crop for the pharmaceutical market, with an area of close to 20,000 hectares sown to poppies.
GlaxoSmithKline and Tasmanian Alkaloids (for Johnson & Johnson), are responsible for the manufacture and export of these products to worldwide markets. AlsoTPI Enterprises Pty Ltd, a relatively new Tasmanian poppy-based company established in 2002, is responsible for the manufacturing of concentrate of poppy straw.
Tasmanian company Botanical Resources Australia produces 40 per cent of the world’s pyrethrum, the oldest known naturally occurring insecticide. They also grow echinacea and have begun growing artemisia, a plant recommended by the World Health Organisation as a treatment for malaria.
Tasmania’s cool temperate conditions are ideal for the production of high quality horticultural products, including extractive crops. Extractive crops are harvested for a variety of uses, such as natural healing treatments, flavour or flavour enhancing foods and perfumes. Essential Oils of Tasmania has been producing a diverse range of essential oils and plant extracts for over 20 years, including lavender, peppermint, fennel and boronia oils.
Tasmanian businesses in this sector include:
View more information about Tasmania’s bioactive compound extraction capability.
