A Helping Hand for NSW’s Citrus Industry Announced

Article by: Hari Yellina

The latest state-of-the-art facility in the Riverina region will attempt to boost the state’s citrus sector. The state government’s $300,000 Citrus Centre of Excellence, which opened in Griffith earlier this month, will house the latest technology and research to assist the industry realise its full potential and compete in additional markets. The centre’s goal is to assist citrus and grape producers in refining their management systems and practices in order to obtain the best possible results. “There’s no better place in NSW to conduct our world-leading research facility to maximise potential in this fast-rising industry than Griffith,” Mr Toole said. The centre, which was first envisaged in 2019, stated NSW deputy premier Paul Toole.

“Our experts’ groundbreaking research, which is on display in this spectacular centre, will ensure citrus remains economically sustainable in a quickly changing environment.” “This centre of excellence will also benefit the local community by creating more job possibilities and attracting visitors from all across the country to view the facilities for themselves.” NSW Farmers has given the facility their seal of approval, with member and Riverina citrus grower Jo Brighenti Barnard praising the facility as a “strong show of support” for the sector, which has been hit hard by storms recently. Ms Brighenti Barnard added, “This is lovely to see after the freak hail storm we experienced at the beginning of the year.”

“Some of our farms have been severely damaged, and it will take years for them to recover.” “It’s encouraging to see the NSW government invest in citrus grown locally and support our growers’ future growth.” “More investment opens up more opportunities for our farmers to succeed, resulting in higher economic returns for the state. Hopefully, this will improve horticulture’s overall production processes and profitability.” Local citrus farmers, particularly the Griffith and District Citrus Growers Association, impacted the site’s design, according to NSW agricultural minister Dugald Saunders. “Despite the constraints of COVID-19 and natural disasters experienced by growers, NSW’s horticultural industry reached a gross value of the output of more than $2 million in 2020-21 alone,” Mr Saunders said.

“In the face of these hurdles, this stayed practically unaltered from the previous year, which is a huge achievement that could not have been achieved without the efforts of our booming citrus business.” Not only will this centre assist to maintain and nurture an already strong industry, but it will also drive further growth through fresh research and cutting-edge technology.