Central Highlands agriculture set to receive profile-boosting investment

THE Palaszczuk Government is investing $100,000 to boost food production in the Central Highlands.

“The Central Highlands’ fertile soils make it one of Australia’s most important production areas,” Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Economic Development Bill Byrne said.

“The 60,000 square kilometres encompassing places like Arcadia Valley, Bauhinia, Blackwater, Bluff, Capella, Comet, Dingo, Duaringa, Emerald, Rolleston, the Sapphire Gemfields, Springsure and Tieri is a notable food bowl.

“It’s a subtropical area with assured water supplies from Fairbairn Dam and the Nagoa-Mackenzie Irrigation Scheme and that makes it an ideal location for a variety of crops.

“Produce includes citrus fruits, chickpeas, cereals, cotton, beef, mungbeans and table grapes and the Palaszczuk government recognises the economic contribution made by Highlands producers and wants to help them to expand production,” the Minister said.

He said the government was working with the Central Highlands Development Corporation on a number of initiatives to enhance the region’s reputation as an agribusiness powerhouse.

The minister said the initiatives would encourage on-farm innovation and provide enhanced production data across the supply chain.

The collaboration will deliver improvements including improvements to supply chain and logistics records, a major event focusing on innovation in November and a short documentary film to showcase the region’s natural assets and supply chain and services.