Australian-first new crop centre breeds jobs and export opportunities

1344
wheat1
wheat1

A new state of the art Wheat and Oilseeds Breeding Centre at Longerenong, near Horsham, is set to provide dozens of new jobs and fresh export opportunities for Victorian farmers.

Image courtesy of [Grant Cochrane] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net
Image courtesy of [Grant Cochrane] / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Agriculture and Food Security Minister Peter Walsh revealed the Centre, a first of its kind in Australia, would focus on developing new wheat and oilseed varieties with higher yields and productivity improvements.

Bayer is investing $14 million in the new centre and the Victorian Government is providing $1.2 million to Horsham Rural City Council to upgrade roads to the facility and improve access to the Centre’s trial sites and breeding station.

Mr Walsh was at Longerenong as construction work began at the new centre.

Adertisement

“The Victorian Coalition Government and Bayer have a long history of successful research, development and intellectual property collaboration. Since the early 1990s the Department of Primary Industries (DPI) and Bayer have collaborated through scientific research and development on canola germplasm enhancement and varietal development,” Mr Walsh said.

“The new centre will benefit not only Australian farmers, but farmers across the globe by delivering improvements in oilseed and wheat breeding, to boost crop performance, under a variety of conditions,” he added.

Dr Jacqueline Applegate, Managing Director Bayer CropScience, Australia, revealed that investing in research, development, and innovation is the only way to really address the global challenges that exist at the beginning of the third millennium.

“Our aim is to create healthier crops with better yields that are resistant to pests and diseases and which can thrive under Australia’s environmental stresses like drought,” Dr Applegate said.

Mr Walsh said the Victorian Government had recognised the significant contribution the grain industry made to the Victorian economy, with 4.4 million tonnes of wheat, 1.9 million tonnes of barley and 476,000 tonnes of canola produced in 2010-2011 alone.

“As part of the Growing Food and Fibre Initiative the Coalition Government has provided $10.6 million over four years to boost the productivity and profitability of Victoria’s grain industry,” Mr Walsh said.

Export Victoria revealed, Victorian food and fibre exports were valued at $9 billion in 2011-12, with an increased  value by $909 million (11%) from 2010-11. The value of food exports from Victoria in 2011-12 was $7 billion, an increase of $745 million (12%) from the previous financial year. The value of fibre products (including animal fibre and skins and hides) increased by $164 million, or 9% from 2010-11, to be valued at $1.94 billion.

Last year Victoria accounted for 29% of Australia’s total food and fibre exports and was Australia’s largest state exporter. Victoria had a 26% share of Australia’s total food exports and a 52% share of Australia’s total fibre products exports (including animal fibre and skins and hides), Export Victoria.