New Kimberley pastoralist group

Kimberley pastoralists and suppliers have united to form an incorporated body to safeguard and promote their industry as overseas demand for WA beef from countries like China and Indonesia ramps up.

Kimberley Cattleman's Association founding member Peter Camp from Kalyeeda Station, between Derby and Fitzroy Crossing, said the KCA was created out of a need for local industry representation and leadership.

A report on the group's future plans was presented by consultants the Northern Development Company at a recent meeting in Broome with the Kimberley division of the Pastoralists and Graziers Association, PGA president Tony Seabrook and Agriculture Minister Ken Baston.

Mr Camp, who is chairman of the Kimberley PGA, said the cattle industry has an ideal chance to expand production and that the future presented "a great opportunity for the North".

"Rapid growth can be a good thing but producers and their supporting industries need to be ready to seize the opportunity; we have some challenges in front of us that we need to be better prepared for," he said.

"Our purpose as an industry development group will be to work on supply chain issues and encourage people to lift productivity within pastoral regions throughout the North"

Mr Camp said the KCA was first mooted about two years ago and resulted from a four-month consultation with pastoralists and potential members of the new group.

"The findings were that there was pretty well 100 per cent support for an industry development group for the Kimberley and north Pilbara," he said.

"There were strong concerns they did not want another lobby group but also there was also a very strong push to communicate with the rest of northern Australia, like the Northern Territory and into north Queensland."

Mr Camp agreed that one of the key issues for regional beef producers was coping with demand.

"There is going to be increased demand in the coming years so certainly people are going to have to get in and look at lifting productivity on their properties," he said.

"That is one of the major limiting factors at the moment - the markets are there but realistically the numbers aren't at the moment.

"But we will certainly lift our game to be able to supply that market."

Mr Camp said the future was bright for Kimberley pastoralists but a key focus of the KCA would be to lift revenue generated from pastoral leases by 2025.

"We want to double that," he said.

"It is certainly not a task that can't be achieved because there are a lot of properties out there that are not being utilised.

"If the prices are similar to this year or even better, there would be a fair chance for pastoralists to start reducing debt levels and put in more infrastructure to reach productivity goals."

The KCA is negotiating with the PGA to become a corporate member that would allow the two groups to co-exist.