Borello owner keen to expand

Ned Borrello and his son Michael at the Gingin feedlot.

Borrello Beef owner Ned Borrello says red tape is one of the biggest obstacles to getting the State's beef sector back on its feet and growing again.

Mr Borello, who was in Singapore recently investigating several options to export value-added offal products, said red tape was bad news for processors.

He said he had spent the last 15 months with consultants working on a works approval application to the Department of Environment and Conservation to upgrade his Gingin Meatworks to become export accredited for European and US markets.

Mr Borrello said Agriculture Minister Terry Redman was heading in the right direction, saying bureaucracy was holding back industry expansion, adding he hoped his approval process would be streamlined and not delayed.

Currently Gingin Meatworks processes on average 1200 head per week, with a capacity to process 1500.

It acts solely as a service provider, with its customers being Borrello Beef and 15 butchers and wholesalers from around the Perth metropolitan area.

Mr Borrello said developing processing precincts was a good idea, however funding such an initiative would be the biggest hurdle since it was unfair to expect tax payers to foot the bill.

Mr Redman cinfirmed the Government's support to help the beef industry.

"The Government will assist the progression of industry infrastructure expansion, relocations and new developments through reduced red tape and a co-ordinated whole of government approach to land use planning and approvals and consideration of planning precincts," he said.

The Government last week established its Beef Council, which Mr Redman said would take a leading role in industry development.

   Printable Version