There’s no shortage of talk about the potential for new meat processing facilities in rural and regional Queensland. This year alone, there have been proposals for new meat works at Emerald, Julia Creek, Cloncurry and St George.
Earlier this month, the Maranoa Shire Council released the results of a feasibility study it commissioned on a Roma based meat works which found a processing facility would be viable if supply could be maintained.
Supply certainly seems to be the sticking point for many new proposals and cattle numbers are tipped to be tight during a herd re-building phase expected to last several years.
Maranoa councillor Cameron O’Neil said a new meat works was still an exciting prospect for the region.
“...this project would potentially see an increase in market options for cattle and or sheep producers in southern Queensland, as well as significantly reducing transportation costs for primary producers,” he said.
Cr O’Neil said a new industry would also mean new jobs and population growth.
As Maranoa councillors begin to gauge commercial interest for the project, St George locals are hoping a deal to re-open a sheep and goat processing facility in that town comes off.
In the state’s north west, irrigated agriculture proposals have proponents of an abattoir proposal at Julia Creek excited.
Bruce Griffin, representing Hong-Kong based FDI Australia, attended the Flinders River Ag Precinct investment forum at Julia Creek this month and said the state’s release of 239,000 ML in the Flinders system would benefit their project.
“I’d like to see us bring country back to a fattening capacity,” Bruce said. “We’ve been speaking to a few groups about ways we can work together.”
A study commissioned by the Queensland Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation in 2012 found Cloncurry was the preferred location for a northern meat works.
