Vol. 18 18 No. No. 50 27 Vol.
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Wednesday, January Wednesday, June 13, 22, 2016 2016
UNITED WE STAND: Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge and Horsham anti-domestic violence advocate Simone O’Brien lead the club’s players and staff as they take an oath to stand up and speak out about domestic violence. The AFL club dedicated Saturday night’s round-13 clash against Geelong to raising awareness of the White Ribbon campaign, of which Mrs O’Brien is an ambassador. See story, page 44.
Search for investor A
BY DEAN LAWSON
sian interest in WimmeraMallee pulse-protein powder has Member for Lowan Emma Kealy stressing a need to find an investor to back the concept.
Ms Kealy said she had discussed the idea, which involves establishing a processing plant near Horsham, with business leaders while on a Victorian parliamentary trade mission to Japan and South Korea. “I was particularly keen to put the pulse protein-powder project on the table while in discussions to gauge
interest and I was surprised at the intense level of response,” she said. “The business people we spoke with were high-level movers and shakers with strong connections to the diet-supplement industry. “They were extremely interested, not only in the idea, but the potential quality of the product. “It left me with a feeling that if we could find the critical investment needed to get the project off the ground, it would lead to the creation of a brandnew industry out of the region.” Wimmera development leaders are on the hunt for investors willing to
IN THIS ISSUE
pump $30-million into the project, based on four years of research and planning and international and national consumer demand for protein powder. The concept, developed by Wimmera Development Association and Wimmera Grains Cluster, is based on extracting protein from downgraded pulse crops in the region at a proposed Burnt Creek factory on the outskirts of Horsham. The aim is to capture 20 percent of an $80-million to $90-million imported protein market and then pursue international markets.
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“As part of International Year of Pulses I’m desperate to make sure our part of the world is at the forefront of any developments in this area.” Ms Kealy said it was clear from her meetings there were many opportunities for Lowan and surrounding electorates to export directly into Japan and South Korea. “They are keen to access premium produce – the same produce we grow here,” she said. “I took examples of what we produce to show how good the quality was and they were impressed.” Editorial – page 7
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Ms Kealy urged the State Government earlier this year to consider offering potential investors some sort of financial incentive to take on the project. “While the preference would be to attract an Australian investor, if that can’t happen it might be time to look at foreign investment to develop the opportunity locally,” she said. “We can’t afford to underestimate the quality of what we are producing in our part of the world. We are never going to produce enough food to be the food bowl of Asia, but we can certainly be their delicatessen.
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