Question On Notice No. 1580 asked in the Legislative Council on 21 August 2018 by Hon Martin Aldridge
Question Directed to the: Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Minister Assisting the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade
Parliament: 40 Session: 1
Question
I refer to the $1.5 million Horticultural Research Recovery Fund, announced by the Minister on 6 July 2017, and I ask:
(a) what funds have been expended to date from the fund;
(b) who were the recipients of those funds and for what purposes were the funds applied;
(c) how much of the fund remains unexpended and available for expenditure;
(d) who are the intended recipients of the remaining funds and for what purposes will the funds be applied; and
(e) how were funding priorities determined for the allocation of funds?
Answered on 12 September 2018
(a) $792,333
(b) Fox Farming Pty Ltd - A washing/grading/packing line designed to meet the quality standards required for new markets in Singapore and beyond.
Pemberton Fresh Pty Ltd - Innovative packaging equipment to meet specific requirements of new markets.
GP Ayres & Sons Pty Ltd - Infrastructure upgrade - Optical sorter for seed potatoes.
Bendotti Exporters Pty Ltd - Upgrade of processing and production equipment to increase the overall efficiency of processing potatoes.
Vegetables WA – Report into collaborative entrepreneurship for exporting.
(c) $707,667
(d) WA potato industry - To support the capability and continuity of the WA Seed Certification Scheme.
Horticulture Innovation and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) - To support research into low dose methyl bromide disinfestation of capsicums, tomatoes, chilli and eggplant to allow interstate and export trade of host produce.
Western Sydney University - To investigate the interaction of Tomato Potato Psyllid with Australian native non-host plant species to support the cut flower industry.
(e) Funding priorities were determined on the capability of projects to deliver industry-wide benefits for the Western Australian potato industry, with a focus on export outcomes