About the Board

The Rice Marketing Board for the State of New South Wales was the first commodity marketing board established in New South Wales under the Marketing of Primary Products Act 1927 and was officially constituted by Proclamation on 9th November, 1928 with the appointment of five grower elected members and two nominated members.

The Board’s primary function is to obtain the best possible monetary return to rice growers consistent with the maintenance of orderly marketing and operates under the authority of and in accordance with the Rice Marketing Act 1983.

The objects of the Board, as gazetted on 23 May 2009, are: to encourage the development of a competitive domestic market for rice, to ensure the best possible returns from rice sold outside Australia based on the quality differentials or attributes of Australian grown rice and to liaise with and represent the interests of all NSW rice growers in relation to the Board's functions and objects.

In July 2006 the domestic rice market was deregulated. Parties wanting to participate in the domestic rice market can make an application the Board to become an Authorised Buyer. Under the Rice Marketing Act 1983, the Board has appointed Ricegrowers’ Limited (trading as SunRice) as the Sole and Exclusive Export Licence holder.

1920s

NSW rice growers request the NSW State Government to establish a Rice Marketing Board under the Marketing of Primary Products Act 1927. The Rice Marketing Board for the State of NSW is created by proclamation on 9th November 1928 with the responsibility to 'obtain the best possible monetary return to growers consistent with the maintenance of orderly marketing'.

1950s

NSW rice growers form Ricegrowers' Co-operative Mills in 1951. The Co-operative increasingly takes a greater share of paddy rice from the Board as it embraced the mills at Yenda, Griffith and Echuca. In 1956, the Growers' Equity Redemption Scheme is introduced.

1980s

In 1985, the NSW rice industry is rationalised as the Board appoints Ricegrowers' Co-operative Ltd as its Agent and effectively contracts the functions and operations of the Board to the Co-operative while the Board retains its storage assets and its powers under the Rice Marketing Act 1983.

2006

Effective from the 1st July 2006 the domestic rice market was deregulated. Parties wanting to participate in the domestic rice market must make an application to the Board in order to become an Authorised Buyer. Under the Rice Marketing Act 1983, the Board has appointed Ricegrowers Limited (trading as SunRice) as the Sole and Exclusive Export Licence holder.