WA producers buoyed by Harvey Beef success

5/09/06

Agriculture and Food Minister Kim Chance today commended Western Australia's biggest meat processor Harvey Beef on its timely return to profitability.
During a tour of the processor's facilities, Mr Chance said Harvey Industries Group, trading as Harvey Beef, had achieved a dramatic turnaround since acquiring the financially-stricken business in March 2006, including implementing a series of capital expenditure programs to increase processing capacity.
It was also committed to additional capital expenditure programs in 2007 to further develop and market the Harvey Beef product brand.
Mr Chance said WA's beef processing sector was striving to further improve its reputation as a high-quality producer of safe, tasty high quality and well-presented products.

"The resumption of operations at the Harvey processing facility has been vitally important for our South-West beef producers and for the livestock industry as a whole," the Minister said.
"The sector is performing strongly and this is reflected in the rising value of the beef industry from $310million in 1998-99 to $570million in 2004-05.
"However, the problems at EG Green and Sons Pty Ltd last year had a substantial impact on beef production which declined by 10.5 per cent to $510million for 2005-06.
"With developments at Harvey Beef and other processors, the value of beef production should be at record levels in 2006-07."
It is almost a year since the State Government announced an assistance package for workers displaced by the restructuring of E G Green and Sons.
"The package consisted of two components - a grant of up to $1.55million to assist workers to retrain and/or relocate to new employment, and a $1.8million short-term loan to the administrator of E G Green and Sons to enable the early payment of worker entitlements, which has now been repaid in full," Mr Chance said.
The Minister said WA's beef exports contributed $122million to the State's economy in 2005-06.
"The State Government is building a better future for all Western Australians by creating new jobs and opportunities," he said.
At the site visit, Harvey Beef chief executive officer Scott Henderson said the company welcomed the Minister's visit and wanted to continue working closely with the State Government as the plant capacity increased and the profile of the Harvey beef product brand grew in local and export markets.
Minister's office: 9213 6700