Official opening of wheatbelt yabby operation

6/10/94

A wheatbelt yabby operation that processes more than a tonne of the freshwater crustaceans per week was officially opened by Commerce and Trade Minister Hendy Cowan today.

Cambinata Yabbies, at Kukerin, exports more than half of its produce to Asia and Europe and provides three full-time and six part-time jobs for local people.

It also provides an income for local farmers from whom it buys the yabbies it sends around Australia and to Asia and Europe.

Cambinata attributes much of its viability to a water treatment system supplied by a Perth company to keep the yabbies in top condition.  Hi-Tech Water's system saves the need to dump large amounts of nutrient-rich waste water every 48 hours - a problem in terms of water supply and potential effect on the environment.

Cambinata's weekly production of about 20,000 of the succulent crustaceans is exported live from Kukerin, which is east of Wagin and 250km south-east of Perth.  The company expects to be processing 40,000 yabbies per week by Christmas.

Cambinata is the second country-based firm registered as an export establishment.

"Enterprises like Cambinata have been a godsend for many country people during times of low incomes from traditional farm produce," Mr Cowan said.

"I understand that in many cases, women on farms initiated the interest and yabby farming has become a family activity.

"The operation started as a small-scale side-interest to supplement farm income for the Nenke family during the agricultural recession, and has grown into a significant export industry.

"The success of this enterprise is due in large part to the community support it has received in the early stages.  The Nenkes say Cambinata would not have grown without the encouragement of local people.

"The Cambinata operation is also a good example of technical expertise and primary industry linking up to provide a high-quality product which is making a positive contribution to the State's economy.

"When the company was faced with dumping large amounts of high-strength waste water every two days, it turned to industrial technology.  The co-operation between Cambinata and Hi-Tech Water has resulted in what can be considered the most modern yabby processing facility in the State, and possibly in Australia."

The technique takes into consideration the value of water in the area and overcomes the need to dump 15,000 litres every 48 hours.

More than 100 farms supply the company with its yabbies, helping the economy of a wide regional area.

Mr Cowan said the facility opened today had the capacity to process over five tonnes of live yabbies per week and should have a major impact on the local industry.  More farmers were being encouraged to get involved and the Minister urged farmers to adopt a professional approach to investing in the yabby industry.

"The overseas market appears to be capable of taking a big increase in tonnage if the crustaceans can be supplied," he added.

Mr Cowan said diversification of this sort was a key to the regrowth of regional areas.

Media contact: Peter Jackson 222 9595

Mary Nenke 098 646 054