The Coalition Government is continuing to progress its game changing agenda for northern Australia, with a commitment of up to $11 millionto Haljent Pty Ltd trading as Keppel Brand to build a food value adding manufacturing facility near Yeppoon on the Capricorn Coast.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud said this commitment builds on the previous investments made under the Northern Australia Development Program (NADP).
“Under the NADP, the Coalition Government provided funding over $80 million to assist businesses in northern Australia diversify and create jobs,” Minister Littleproud said.
“Our contribution to the project, which is worth around $20 million in total, will have a productive capacity of $50 million per annum and directly create up to 85 jobs as well as 35 jobs in its construction phase.
“This is about scaling up the business to include state of the art processing, refrigeration, and packaging equipment that can perform value adding operations like portioning, battering, breading and coating of beef.
“And what you will get is a lower value product being turned into a high value product – taking an $8 -10 per kilo beef cut representing 5 per cent of the carcass and creating a product to sell for $38 per kg once it leaves the facility” Minister Littleproud said.
Liberal National Candidate for Capricornia, Michelle Landry said: “The facility will be located near Yeppoon and will build up the region’s own Keppel Brand food range plus help launch a new Cattlemen’s Beef range”.
Only the Coalition Government has a plan to continue delivering a strong economy and a stronger future for Northern Australia.
In contrast, Labor has no plans to increase employment opportunities, infrastructure or the cost of living for Northern Australians.
For more information on investments in Northern Australia, visit www.infrastructure.gov.au/territories-regions-cities/regions/northern-Australia.
