AU government issues $1.5m grant funding to lift food exports to Asia
The funding will support WA businesses to export ready-to-eat products for aged-care markets including fruit and vegetables among others.
Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan will today visit one of the grant recipients, Manjimup's Fresh Produce Alliance, who will use their funding to commercialise a ready-to-eat product range for aged-care markets in Asia using Western Australian fruit and vegetables that would otherwise be unmarketable.
Projects with a focus on value-adding such as Fresh Produce Alliance's product range will help to create long-term jobs for Western Australians in regional areas.
More information on the Grants for Asian Market Export, administered by the Department of Agriculture and Food and supported by Royalties for Regions, is available at http://www.agric.wa.gov.au/amsgrants
Grants for Asian Market Export - Round Two recipients:
Fresh Produce Alliance Pty Ltd - $200,000 to develop and commercialise a nutritious, ready-to-eat product range for the aged-care market in Asia.
Pardoo Beef Corporation - $200,000 to develop a full marketing plan for exporting quality Pardoo Wagyu beef from the Pilbara to niche Asian markets.
Tosum Pty Ltd - $200,000 to upgrade facilities that will enable Tosum to guarantee premium quality and sweetness of fruit for year-round supply to high-end export customers.
Harvey Industries Group Pty Ltd - $200,000 will leverage Harvey Beef's brand created by its retail beef range, to develop a WA-branded lamb finished product for high-end Asian markets.
Geraldton Fishermen's Co-operative - $200,000 to launch a 'business to consumer' live lobster supply chain in China and develop strategic marketing activities to establish western rock lobster as a premium lobster product.
Avena Mills Pty Ltd - $173,822 to transform Avena Mills from a hulled oats and bird seed processor into a rolled-oats processor and exporter into premium Asian markets.
Future Fields Pty Ltd (Bannister Downs Dairy) - $200,000 to develop a real-time, web-based quality assurance platform to increase customer confidence and ensure Bannister Downs Dairy products meet stringent export standards of premium Asian markets.
Ocean Grown Abalone Pty Ltd - $200,000 to diversify Ocean Grown Abalone's product offering by implementing live export and processing technology, and market development activities in premium Asian markets.
Contact: Tel: +61 6552 6200
source: mediastatements.wa.gov.au