❓ Question addresses fruit dumping in Donnybrook due to cheaper Chinese fruit concentrates. Minister acknowledges the issue, details meetings with processors, and discusses potential solutions through a new food initiative, but has not yet met directly with producers.
AnsweredQoN 914Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Is the minister aware that fresh fruit is being dumped in Donnybrook due to cheaper fruit concentrates from China now currently being used in fruit juice manufacturing in Western Australia? (2) If so, has the minister met with both the producers and processors in the south west fruit-growing area to resolve this current issue, thus ensuring that the industry does not collapse? Hon KIM CHANCE
AnswerView source ↗
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for this question on a very important matter. (1) Honourable members will be aware that over time, beginning about eight months ago, one metropolitan-based processor, Berri, ceased operations in the metropolitan area at, I think, Balcatta. That slack-inducing capacity was taken up by the Harvey-based fruit juice processor Harvey Fresh. To some extent that process went along quite well. However, as a result of, as Hon Bruce Donaldson quite rightly indicates, low-price competition from imported concentrate, not fresh juice, some of those operations at Harvey have ceased. That has caused producers to dump the juicing grade fruit that they had. That part of the answer has happened in the very short term, because that decision has been made only this month by the owners of Harvey Fresh. It is important for me to reiterate that Harvey Fresh has not got out of the juicing business. (2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
(2) If so, has the minister met with both the producers and processors in the south west fruit-growing area to resolve this current issue, thus ensuring that the industry does not collapse? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for this question on a very important matter. (1) Honourable members will be aware that over time, beginning about eight months ago, one metropolitan-based processor, Berri, ceased operations in the metropolitan area at, I think, Balcatta. That slack-inducing capacity was taken up by the Harvey-based fruit juice processor Harvey Fresh. To some extent that process went along quite well. However, as a result of, as Hon Bruce Donaldson quite rightly indicates, low-price competition from imported concentrate, not fresh juice, some of those operations at Harvey have ceased. That has caused producers to dump the juicing grade fruit that they had. That part of the answer has happened in the very short term, because that decision has been made only this month by the owners of Harvey Fresh. It is important for me to reiterate that Harvey Fresh has not got out of the juicing business. (2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for this question on a very important matter. (1) Honourable members will be aware that over time, beginning about eight months ago, one metropolitan-based processor, Berri, ceased operations in the metropolitan area at, I think, Balcatta. That slack-inducing capacity was taken up by the Harvey-based fruit juice processor Harvey Fresh. To some extent that process went along quite well. However, as a result of, as Hon Bruce Donaldson quite rightly indicates, low-price competition from imported concentrate, not fresh juice, some of those operations at Harvey have ceased. That has caused producers to dump the juicing grade fruit that they had. That part of the answer has happened in the very short term, because that decision has been made only this month by the owners of Harvey Fresh. It is important for me to reiterate that Harvey Fresh has not got out of the juicing business. (2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for this question on a very important matter. (1) Honourable members will be aware that over time, beginning about eight months ago, one metropolitan-based processor, Berri, ceased operations in the metropolitan area at, I think, Balcatta. That slack-inducing capacity was taken up by the Harvey-based fruit juice processor Harvey Fresh. To some extent that process went along quite well. However, as a result of, as Hon Bruce Donaldson quite rightly indicates, low-price competition from imported concentrate, not fresh juice, some of those operations at Harvey have ceased. That has caused producers to dump the juicing grade fruit that they had. That part of the answer has happened in the very short term, because that decision has been made only this month by the owners of Harvey Fresh. It is important for me to reiterate that Harvey Fresh has not got out of the juicing business. (2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
(1) Honourable members will be aware that over time, beginning about eight months ago, one metropolitan-based processor, Berri, ceased operations in the metropolitan area at, I think, Balcatta. That slack-inducing capacity was taken up by the Harvey-based fruit juice processor Harvey Fresh. To some extent that process went along quite well. However, as a result of, as Hon Bruce Donaldson quite rightly indicates, low-price competition from imported concentrate, not fresh juice, some of those operations at Harvey have ceased. That has caused producers to dump the juicing grade fruit that they had. That part of the answer has happened in the very short term, because that decision has been made only this month by the owners of Harvey Fresh. It is important for me to reiterate that Harvey Fresh has not got out of the juicing business. (2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
(2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
(2) If so, has the minister met with both the producers and processors in the south west fruit-growing area to resolve this current issue, thus ensuring that the industry does not collapse? Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for this question on a very important matter. (1) Honourable members will be aware that over time, beginning about eight months ago, one metropolitan-based processor, Berri, ceased operations in the metropolitan area at, I think, Balcatta. That slack-inducing capacity was taken up by the Harvey-based fruit juice processor Harvey Fresh. To some extent that process went along quite well. However, as a result of, as Hon Bruce Donaldson quite rightly indicates, low-price competition from imported concentrate, not fresh juice, some of those operations at Harvey have ceased. That has caused producers to dump the juicing grade fruit that they had. That part of the answer has happened in the very short term, because that decision has been made only this month by the owners of Harvey Fresh. It is important for me to reiterate that Harvey Fresh has not got out of the juicing business. (2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
Hon KIM CHANCE replied: I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for this question on a very important matter. (1) Honourable members will be aware that over time, beginning about eight months ago, one metropolitan-based processor, Berri, ceased operations in the metropolitan area at, I think, Balcatta. That slack-inducing capacity was taken up by the Harvey-based fruit juice processor Harvey Fresh. To some extent that process went along quite well. However, as a result of, as Hon Bruce Donaldson quite rightly indicates, low-price competition from imported concentrate, not fresh juice, some of those operations at Harvey have ceased. That has caused producers to dump the juicing grade fruit that they had. That part of the answer has happened in the very short term, because that decision has been made only this month by the owners of Harvey Fresh. It is important for me to reiterate that Harvey Fresh has not got out of the juicing business. (2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
I thank Hon Bruce Donaldson for this question on a very important matter. (1) Honourable members will be aware that over time, beginning about eight months ago, one metropolitan-based processor, Berri, ceased operations in the metropolitan area at, I think, Balcatta. That slack-inducing capacity was taken up by the Harvey-based fruit juice processor Harvey Fresh. To some extent that process went along quite well. However, as a result of, as Hon Bruce Donaldson quite rightly indicates, low-price competition from imported concentrate, not fresh juice, some of those operations at Harvey have ceased. That has caused producers to dump the juicing grade fruit that they had. That part of the answer has happened in the very short term, because that decision has been made only this month by the owners of Harvey Fresh. It is important for me to reiterate that Harvey Fresh has not got out of the juicing business. (2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
(1) Honourable members will be aware that over time, beginning about eight months ago, one metropolitan-based processor, Berri, ceased operations in the metropolitan area at, I think, Balcatta. That slack-inducing capacity was taken up by the Harvey-based fruit juice processor Harvey Fresh. To some extent that process went along quite well. However, as a result of, as Hon Bruce Donaldson quite rightly indicates, low-price competition from imported concentrate, not fresh juice, some of those operations at Harvey have ceased. That has caused producers to dump the juicing grade fruit that they had. That part of the answer has happened in the very short term, because that decision has been made only this month by the owners of Harvey Fresh. It is important for me to reiterate that Harvey Fresh has not got out of the juicing business. (2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
(2) This is in part an answer to the second part of the member’s question. I have indeed met with processors. I met with Kevin Sorgiovanni from Harvey Fresh and his brother in the past couple of weeks, when we looked at opportunities for Harvey Fresh and the capacity it might have to access a new funding innovation which the government has just released, called the West Australian food initiative, which is a $1 million a year initiative. Unfortunately, that funding initiative was released just short of two weeks ago and the meeting I had with the Sorgiovannis was just over two weeks ago, and I could not tell them about it. They were broadly aware of what we were doing. I have encouraged them to analyse the documentation relating to the food innovation fund on its release. I hope that they have done that by now, and I hope that Harvey Fresh will be among the first applicants. What Harvey Fresh approached me about was interesting. I think the details of it are probably commercially confidential. I do not want to give away their trade secret, but basically as an outcome they were aiming to make fresh juice available over a longer period than it is currently available. It is clearly a technology involved in the storage of fresh juice - that is what they are talking to us about - that could well, and is certainly intended to, make them competitive with imported concentrates, not perhaps on price but on quality. They feel that if they are selling fresh juice over a six-month period instead of a three-month period, for example, they will be able to compete on quality with anybody reconstituting juice made from an imported concentrate. I think it is a fascinating idea. It sounds like very sound technology. I certainly look forward to an opportunity for the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Industry and Resources to consider the application when it comes in, because it is the kind of thing that we are trying to attract. Have I met with producers? No, not at this stage, although I do have regular contact with Vegetables WA which represents fruit growers; indeed, I met as recently as last night with Jim Turley, the executive officer of Vegetables WA. They keep me informed of the issues and they are aware that I have spoken to Harvey Fresh. I am very hopeful that although we might not find a complete solution to this problem, because it will be an ongoing issue, I think we will potentially get out of this a win-win situation; that is, a better outcome for producers and a huge win for consumers because of the longer-term availability of fresh rather than reconstituted juice.
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