❓ The Minister for Agriculture and Food updates the house on efforts to expand export markets for WA agricultural products, specifically highlighting successful negotiations with Saudi Arabia to accept WA wheat. This involved addressing protein levels and ergot tolerance.
AnsweredQoN 159Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTS — EXPORT MARKETS
I am proud to be part of a government that stands up for Western Australia and its farmers. One of the best ways to help make WA farmers more profitable is to open up new markets for their goods. Can the minister please update the house on what this government has been doing to expand our export markets? Mr D.T. REDMAN
I am proud to be part of a government that stands up for Western Australia and its farmers. One of the best ways to help make WA farmers more profitable is to open up new markets for their goods. Can the minister please update the house on what this government has been doing to expand our export markets? Mr D.T. REDMAN
AnswerView source ↗
It certainly gives me great pleasure to update the house on what is happening in the wonderful area of agriculture and food in Western Australia. I thank the member for Geraldton for his interest in this matter. Mr P. Papalia interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I note that there is no interest from the other side, but on this side of the house we rate the significance to the state of Western Australia’s agriculture and food industries very, very highly. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: It certainly gives me great pleasure to update the house on what is happening in the wonderful area of agriculture and food in Western Australia. I thank the member for Geraldton for his interest in this matter. Mr P. Papalia interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I note that there is no interest from the other side, but on this side of the house we rate the significance to the state of Western Australia’s agriculture and food industries very, very highly. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
It certainly gives me great pleasure to update the house on what is happening in the wonderful area of agriculture and food in Western Australia. I thank the member for Geraldton for his interest in this matter. Mr P. Papalia interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I note that there is no interest from the other side, but on this side of the house we rate the significance to the state of Western Australia’s agriculture and food industries very, very highly. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr P. Papalia interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I note that there is no interest from the other side, but on this side of the house we rate the significance to the state of Western Australia’s agriculture and food industries very, very highly. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I note that there is no interest from the other side, but on this side of the house we rate the significance to the state of Western Australia’s agriculture and food industries very, very highly. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN replied: It certainly gives me great pleasure to update the house on what is happening in the wonderful area of agriculture and food in Western Australia. I thank the member for Geraldton for his interest in this matter. Mr P. Papalia interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I note that there is no interest from the other side, but on this side of the house we rate the significance to the state of Western Australia’s agriculture and food industries very, very highly. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
It certainly gives me great pleasure to update the house on what is happening in the wonderful area of agriculture and food in Western Australia. I thank the member for Geraldton for his interest in this matter. Mr P. Papalia interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I note that there is no interest from the other side, but on this side of the house we rate the significance to the state of Western Australia’s agriculture and food industries very, very highly. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr P. Papalia interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : I note that there is no interest from the other side, but on this side of the house we rate the significance to the state of Western Australia’s agriculture and food industries very, very highly. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I note that there is no interest from the other side, but on this side of the house we rate the significance to the state of Western Australia’s agriculture and food industries very, very highly. Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr C.J. Barnett interjected. Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : And the Premier is right behind us! Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
The SPEAKER : Thank you, members! Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : I will highlight the significance of Western Australia’s export markets. We export about 85 per cent of what we produce, so they are significant markets. Having those international relations is significant to us, and it is certainly significant to the agricultural business in Western Australia. Members remember that in about February last year I went to the Middle East. Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Several members interjected. The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
The SPEAKER : I hope you have all got it out of your systems! The minister has the call. Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
Mr D.T. REDMAN : One of the target markets was the Saudi Arabian market, which domestically produces six million tonnes of wheat a year. They are facing big challenges with having to draw on their water reserves, so they now want to source that wheat from imports, which presents a big opportunity for Western Australia. We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
We spent some time talking to them about the quality of grains that they required, and there were two significant hurdles to Western Australia accessing that market. First was the protein level in their specifications—they sought a higher protein level than Western Australia could supply. Secondly, they had a zero tolerance for ergot, which is a fungus that comes in some grains. Of course, we could not supply to a zero-tolerance market in that regard. We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
We invited the Grain Silos and Flour Mills Organization—the government organisation that is solely responsible for wheat and the flour mills in Saudi Arabia—to come to Western Australia and have a closer look at what we do and have a look at the research that we are doing to try to demonstrate to them that we were able to supply to that market. The Department of Agriculture and Food has been very, very proactive in its research. It was able to demonstrate to the Saudi Arabians that we could supply them with a wheat grain from Western Australia that met their end-market requirements and would not change the way that it had to be processed in Saudi Arabia. As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
As a result of that, they have recently changed the specifications on Western Australia to accept a lower protein wheat and a higher tolerance for ergot, hence Western Australian farmers can now be in the game to potentially supply to Saudi Arabia. That result is a product of Western Australia showing its face in that market, it is a product of the work by the Department of Agriculture and Food and its researchers, and it is a product of our trade team that identified this potential market to ensure that Western Australians have market access to international markets that are significant for their profitability.
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