Question Time

WILD N FRESH PTY LTD

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (14:50): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Regional Development a question about Wild n Fresh Pty Ltd.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: The Minister for Regional Development has spoken in this chamber previously about the iconic status of the Riverland and her previous visit to the area to hear first-hand of some of the opportunities and challenges for the region. The area is one of Australia's most important agricultural regions and has long been an area producing an enormous quantity of fruit, but the effects of the recent drought have highlighted the need for diversification and the need to seek ways to strengthen the economy of the region. Will the minister advise the council of a recent development which may contribute to the economy of the Riverland?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (14:51): At last a good question, a relevant question. When I visited the Riverland recently, I was indeed very happy to meet with the local community and hear about their vision for the future of the region. Members may recall that, to help guide our response to the effects of the prolonged drought in the region, the government established the Riverland Futures Taskforce and, since my visit, I have been very pleased to have the opportunity to meet with Ms Ruth Firstbrook, the Chair of the Riverland Futures Taskforce, for an update on the progress of the task force since the end of the drought and what they see as being the next steps.

Ms Firstbrook and other members of the task force have been very generous in making themselves available not only in terms of providing me with information but generally in terms of their work for the community. Ms Firstbrook is very passionate and enthusiastic about the future of her community, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank her for her input, commitment and hard work to date.

The Scholefield Robinson report, which was commissioned by the task force, identified that one potential area—of a number of areas—for economic development was the diversification into crops other than grapes or citrus and, in particular, it highlighted the opportunities presented by covered or greenhouse production.

Today I am very pleased to announce that I have approved a grant of more than $447,000 from the $20 million Riverland Sustainable Futures Fund to a Loxton company, Wild n Fresh Pty Ltd, to produce and market a range of chemical and insecticide-free fruit and vegetables. I am advised that the funding from the state government's Riverland Sustainable Futures Fund will enable Wild n Fresh to diversify into new markets by producing some fruit and vegetables previously not grown in South Australia, so it will enable them to really branch out into a brand-new market.

The company has built up its business from scratch since 2006, and I understand that it is now a sizeable operation. The grant will meet up to 50 per cent of the estimated project cost—which is around $895,065—associated with the upgrading of the company's main irrigation system at its Derrick Road, Loxton, facility, as well as extending its warehouse, shed and packing facility, and constructing a new 2,400 square metre greenhouse building, including climate and water control systems.

The project will deliver a significant boost for the Riverland community as a whole as it involves introducing new and innovative production practices to the region's large horticulture industry and could lead to the creation of nine new jobs at the Loxton site. The company aims to introduce counter-seasonal produce and has targeted strawberries in particular and as well plans to bring new products to the market. I understand that it proposes to bring a number of exotic vegetables such as gem squash and rainbow silverbeet to the market.

These new products are fabulous and will help provide some off-season production as well, which will assist in providing a competitive advantage to the Riverland region's produce, and that is a really important and exciting prospect. The Riverland Sustainable Futures Fund was established obviously to assist with industry restructuring and to promote sustainable economic and social development in the Riverland, and this project is an example of the quality proposals this fund will support. The $20 million fund is accessible by industry and businesses to fund projects that improve infrastructure, support industry attraction and help grow existing businesses, which can benefit the region.