Food Production and Manufacturing

Greater Geraldton’s enduring and highly profitable food production sector includes broad acre agriculture, wild catch fisheries (the largest in WA), intensive horticulture, orchard farming, aquaculture, and large and small livestock farming, providing 2,271 local jobs and a total output of $818M per annum.

With its clean, warm coastal water and strong industry base, the Region is primed for the further growth in areas including:

• Aquaculture and fisheries, with a dominant rock lobster fishery, high-value wild catch fisheries, significant finfish and mollusc production, and progress in species such as yellowtail kingfish, mulloway, coral and live rock, octopus and pearls.
• Diversification and expansion of the scale of horticulture production.
• Value-added local food manufacturing using local ingredients.

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Current investment opportunities in this sector include:

Midlands Groundwater and Land Assessment

The $4.7 million Midlands groundwater and land assessment project is investigating groundwater availability, land capability and crop suitability in the Midlands area between Gingin and Dongara. This region is one of the most economically promising irrigation zones in Western Australia. Large irrigators want to increase production over the next five years at levels up to 300% but groundwater in their local subareas has been largely allocated, meaning future horticultural expansion will lie outside their existing horticultural footprint. This project aims to identify one or more 2,000 to 3,000 ha area/s suitable for intensive irrigated horticulture within a broad 500,000 ha envelope north of the Gingin irrigation district, encompassing the Moora-Badgingarra-Dongara area. The Irwin area near Dongara, and the Dinner Hill area to the east of Badgingarra and north of Dandaragan, has been identified for further investigation as irrigated agriculture hotspots. These two areas have been carefully selected with input from a community reference group. The community reference group membership includes Vegetables Western Australia, the Mid West Development Commission, the Wheatbelt Development Commission, the West Midlands Group, Irrigation Australia, Northern Agricultural Catchment Council, Shire of Carnamah, Shire of Dandaragan, Agricultural Produce Commission, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia and the Department of Water. In addition to the Irwin and Dinner Hill focus area investigations, a comprehensive regional information package is being developed, using the innovative high quality agricultural land analysis developed by the Department of Agriculture and Food. It will contain research and analysis on the broader Midlands water resources, soil types, crop suitability and local infrastructure, and will be made available to the community, local growers and potential investors. It is expected that the information package will be completed by 2018, and will support and inform local agricultural investment decisions.

Project Status: Investment Ready

Contact Progress Midwest for further information

Further information here

Jurien Bay Groundwater Plan

The plan will be used to manage the allocation of groundwater for a variety of industries including agriculture. The Jurien groundwater area contains eight sedimentary aquifer systems and fractured rock aquifer systems. Although groundwater is available throughout the plan area, complex hydrogeology, naturally variable water quality and the distribution of each aquifer may restrict possibilities for extraction in particular cases. Future groundwater use in the Jurien groundwater area will be constrained by the quality and quantity of groundwater available for licensing. The amount of unallocated water per annum is currently 57.5 gigalitres per annum. Water available for irrigation varies locally due to variations in yield, water quality and depth.

Investment Opportunity:

• Irrigation infrastructure;
• Plant and machinery;
• Other construction materials;
• Equipment; and
• Storage.

Project Status: Investment ready

Contact Progress Midwest for further information

Further information here

Remote Monitoring of Stock and Assets Tech Shepherd & Austin Partnership

Description: Tracking wildlife and endangered animals. Refine ear tags and collars and heat proof towers and batteries; roll out of 100,000 ear tags and 300 towers.

Investment Opportunity: Various opportunities available including joint venture and direct passive equity investment.

Contact Progress Midwest for further information

Contact Details: Tom Jackson - austin_partership@bigpond.com