Food & Beverage | 26 March 2026Biofuel plantation project to expand in regional Queensland
by Dae Hong
A new joint venture between Nippon Steel Trading and Energreen Australia will establish a large scale pongamia plantation near Emerald, aimed at supporting biofuel production and strengthening trade ties with Japan.
The venture, Green Biotechnology Solutions, was formed following trade discussions during a recent delegation to Japan involving the minister for finance, trade, employment and training Ros Bates and the minister for primary industries Tony Perrett.
“We are securing global investment which creates regional jobs and builds a stronger Queensland economy,” Bates said.
“Queensland is open for business and our international partners once again have confidence in our economic direction.”
An initial 16,000 pongamia trees are being planted, with plans to expand planting and develop a commercial nursery. The project will also allow local landholders to grow pongamia on their properties under supply agreements with the joint venture.
Pongamia is a non-edible crop with oil rich seeds suitable for biofuel production. It can be grown on marginal land not suited to traditional agriculture, providing an additional income stream without displacing food production.
“We are backing farmers to diversify their income and tap into growing global demand,” Perrett said.
“This project gives landholders another way to strengthen their businesses while keeping food production strong.
“It’s just one of the ways we are unlocking new avenues for primary industries to help us reach our ambitious goal to increase the value of primary production to $30b by 2030.”
The project is intended to support regional employment and position Queensland within the growing global market for lower emission fuels.
“We are attracting significant global interest and investment to our region, while creating new opportunities for local families,” said member for Gregory Sean Dillon.
“This investment shows regional Queensland is central and integral to the state’s economic future.”
