Peel leads the way in new export opportunities for Peel and WA producers
A Western Australian company is progressing global advances in vertical farming technology, to address the emerging food security and quality crisis with environmental sustainability at the core of its approach.
In the Peel, we know our location provides many unique agri-innovation and food production opportunities and that we’re spoilt for choice when it comes to quality local produce. In new trade opportunities for small business exports to Singapore, some of that unique local produce is now hitting the Singapore market.
The WA Food Innovation Precinct at the Peel Business Park spearheads the regional vision of leveraging existing and emerging market opportunities as Australia’s first centre of excellence for new agriculture technology and innovative value-added food products.
Whilst the WA Food Innovation Precinct is currently under construction, GrowHub is shooting ahead of the game by market testing WA products through its international connections, paving the way for WA producers to access new markets.
GrowHub, founded by Fund Singapore, is the key strategic partner to the WA Food Innovation Precinct (WAFIP). The Peel Development Commission and the Shire of Murray established this relationship with a vision of connecting WA and Peel food producers with Singapore organisations and helping them access opportunities for expansion and value-added processing.
The Singapore trade opportunities were established through the Peel Development Commission’s Agri-Innovation Precinct initiative in partnership with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA (CCIWA), Shire of Murray and Growhub.
The initiative turns a vision into reality by enabling local small businesses to trial, export and market-test their products in Singapore. The current export value is $1.2 million per year, and it is forecast to increase some 300% within the next 12 to 24 months and include trial shipments to Japan, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Wide Open Agriculture recently signed an exclusive agreement with Growhub to distribute their oat milk, OatUp, in Singapore. Now, regional producers, including Thorny Devil, Small Things Wine, House of Honey, and Black Barley Australia, will take advantage of the opportunity to trial their products and test the Singapore market for future distribution contracts. This December shipment includes craft beer and cider, handcrafted wine in cans, raw honey and black barley in addition to Wide Open Ag’s recent 40-foot container shipment of its OatUp milk to GrowHub.
Agriculture and food innovation is a priority sector in the development of our region. Our work here in enhancing our food production sectors through continued innovation, investment and research to leverage existing and emerging market opportunities benefits Peel producers and creates opportunities for all WA regional producers and regional development across the state.
Image Below: Hon Alannah MacTiernan, Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Hydrogen Industry with regional WA small business exporters.
