South Australian organic food producers of Medjool dates and strawberries are two of the recipients in the lastest funding round of Woolworths’ Organic Growth Fund.
Family-owned Gurra Downs Date Company received $414,000 to help increase locally-grown medjool dates in a market that is heavily reliant on imports.
Dave, Anita and Shaun Reilly have been growing organic produce for more than 30 years in the South Australian Riverland region. They started planting salt-tolerant date trees in the early 1990s.
The grant will see the Reilly’s packhouse receive a power upgrade and new equipment to help wash, dry, grade and sort the fruit, reducing extensive manual labour and increasing their overall production capacity.
Dave Reilly said, “We can get the fruit off the trees quickly but when we get into the packhouse everything slows down as we don’t have the right equipment to process rapidly.
“The grant will help us develop a packing facility with processing equipment that can efficiently handle higher volumes and create value-add opportunities for our fruit.
The grant also marks the beginning of a new partnership which will see Gurra Downs dates stocked in select Woolworths stores.
The fund was established in 2018 in partnership with Heritage Bank to provide financial grants and interest-free loans to support organic fruit and vegetable production.
Woolworths commercial director, Fruit & Veg, Paul Turner said demand for organic fruit and vegetables has increased by around 30 per cent in the last three years.
“Customers have become more interested in where their food comes from and how it’s grown. We’re proud to be backing family-owned Australian businesses who are sowing the seeds to help meet the demand for organic produce in the years ahead,” Turner said.
SA Organic Strawberries in the Adelaide Hills received $232,000 to install packing shed technology that helps cool strawberries quickly, extracting heat once they’re picked to retain quality and extend shelf-life for customers.
Building on an almost 50-year-long supply partnership with the Butler family, Victorian company Butler Market Gardens received a $500,000 interest free load through the fund. The financing will help the business double its organic production and increase water efficiency through irrigation upgrades and expansion.
Butler Market Gardens’ Rick Butler said sustainability was at the core of its business.
“It is what Butler Market Gardens is all about, and today’s customers are more interested than ever in ensuring their food is grown in an environmentally-friendly way.
“We believe organic farming is inherently sustainable, and we’re pleased this grant will also help us conserve natural resources through water efficiency,” Butler said.
Turner said, “To date we have invested millions of dollars into seventeen established and transitioning organic farms across Australia.
“We’re currently looking for the next crop of Australian farmers who we can partner with to boost long term organic supply in Australia.
“We’re keen to hear from organic growers with plans to expand and conventional farmers looking to convert.”
Round six of the Woolworths Organic Growth Fund is now open and Woolworths is inviting farmers to apply by 28 February 2022.
