Mangoes produced by mining billionaire Andrew Forrest’s agribusiness Harvest Highway Group are prone to be on Australian dinner tables this Christmas after a serious growth of its portfolio.
Key factors:
- Harvest Highway Group, owned by Andrew Forrest, has bought a second mango orchard in Carnarvon
- The acquisition greater than doubles the group’s present mango footprint within the city
- It would goal native markets within the rapid time period with hopes to export sooner or later
Following a step into the mango business in 2017 with the diversification of Carnarvon’s Brickhouse Station, 900 kilometres north of Perth, Harvest Highway has bought the neighbouring Gascoyne Mango Plantation.
The sale will greater than double Harvest Highway’s mango operation at Brickhouse Station, which isn’t but in manufacturing however cultivating 16 hectares of Kensington Delight and Yess mangoes.
Gascoyne Mango Plantation, previously owned by long-term Carnarvon growers Gary and Kathleen Gibson, covers virtually 22 hectares of land and helps greater than 4,000 principally mature Honey Gold, Kensington Delight, and R2E2 timber.
Enterprise improvement supervisor at Harvest Highway, Richard Kohne, mentioned the acquisition confirmed robust confidence within the mango business and Carnarvon as a productive rising area.
“We’re fascinated with mangoes given the robust shopper demand we see for that premium produce, significantly domestically,” Mr Kohne mentioned.
“The timing of the harvest [in Carnarvon] is one thing that is at all times been engaging to us, being extra over the Christmas interval versus different components of the state.”
Export potential for mango business
Whereas Harvest Highway waits for its Brickhouse mango orchard to mature, Mr Kohne mentioned the adjoining Gascoyne Mango Plantation, already in manufacturing, would proceed to produce the home market whereas taking a look at exports long term.
“We predict [the local market] has been fairly robust over the previous couple of years and we see that persevering with,” he mentioned.
“Over time although we have an interest to analyze whether or not there are export alternatives — not just for us, however most likely for the business extra broadly.
“Harvest Highway is an exporter of beef, predominantly, but in addition changing into an exporter of seafood.
“If there was a possibility for us to export mangoes that will surely be one thing we glance into.”
Sale exhibits success of Carnarvon growers
Carnarvon shire president and native mango grower Eddie Smith welcomed information of Mr Forrest’s funding.
“To me it demonstrates to the neighborhood that the meals bowl that we dwell in is alive and effectively, and there is a actual curiosity in it by traders and enterprise which can be creating and making an attempt to get into it in greater and higher methods,” Mr Smith mentioned.
Earlier house owners of the Gascoyne Mango Plantation, Gary and Kathleen Gibson, weren’t obtainable to talk with ABC Rural, however it’s understood the household bought the property to start retirement.
Harvest Highway’s Richard Kohne wouldn’t affirm the ultimate sale determine however mentioned it had been put available on the market for $2.5 million.
Mr Smith mentioned the enterprise had “operated extraordinarily efficiently” within the area.
“It is hats off to the earlier house owners for the work they’ve finished. They’ve finished a unbelievable job and so they get rewarded for it,” he mentioned.
“Loads of growers needs to be pleased {that a} enterprise like that has finished so effectively and demonstrates to everyone that the rising neighborhood in Carnarvon is fairly good, they know what they’re doing.”
