$1m funding to grow Indigenous watermelon business

By PETER ROWE

The Bidyadanga Aboriginal Community, south of Broome in WA, will share in more than $7m in State grants to help food and beverage businesses expand and grow more product lines.

The Bidyadanga Community will receive $1 million to install four blast cool rooms to extend the shelf life and freshness of its watermelons, paving the way to increase production by 400 per cent.

The investment will also help the business move into rockmelon production, creating 15 new jobs.

“I am so proud of the Value Add Investment Grants program and the opportunities it is creating to help grow WA’s agrifood and beverage manufacturing industry,” Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis said.

“This program is kickstarting projects and leveraging substantial co-investment in initiatives that drive expansion, diversification and resilience for a range of businesses throughout the State, as well as creating a number of new local jobs and driving economic growth.”