- Kimberley Cotton Company orders $60 million cotton gin
- Regional Development Minister Don Punch meets with Ord River
farmers
- McGowan Government recently committed $77 million to upgrade
the M1 Channel
- A further $8.66 million was committed in the 2023-24 State
Budget towards environmental obligations
The McGowan Government congratulates Kimberley Cotton
Company (KCC) on ordering Western Australia's first cotton processing plant
worth $60 million to support the burgeoning cotton industry and create more
local jobs.
KCC has placed orders and signed contracts to build the $60
million cotton processing facility, known as a cotton gin.
The announcement comes as Regional Development Minister Don
Punch today met with farmers in Kununurra to discuss the Ord River Irrigation
Area project, the establishment of the cotton industry and the opportunities
this presents for agricultural support businesses.
The McGowan Government has worked closely with local growers
and the KCC over the past six years to back in the development, providing land
and funding support.
Minister Punch also addressed the McGowan Government's $8.66
million commitment in the 2023-24 State Budget.
The State has previously committed $3.6 million for Horizon
Power infrastructure that will supply renewable power from Lake Argyle to the
Cotton Gin and in September last year, the State awarded a lease for
approximately 60 hectares of land to the Kimberley Cotton Company.
In December, the McGowan Government announced $77.1 million
for vital water infrastructure upgrades in the Ord to drive agricultural
expansion in the State's north.
The critical upgrades, which include widening of the Main
Water Supply Channel, will support the supply of water from Lake Argyle to the
5,400 hectare Knox Plain development.
The Knox farmland is critical in underpinning the volumes of production
that will sustain a cotton industry in the East Kimberley.
To compliment the investment, an additional $8.66 million
was committed to the project in the 2023-24 State Budget to meet environmental
obligations over the next three years.
Comments attributed to Regional Development Minister Don
Punch:
"I am delighted to see the Kimberley Cotton Company
passing a significant milestone this week, ordering WA's first cotton gin and
moving closer to realising this transformational project for the region, local
growers, Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation and the pastoral industry in the East
Kimberley.
"It was also great to meet the local growers this
morning and see the optimism around the future of a cotton industry in WA.
"The McGowan Government has worked hard to get the
project this far and it will need continued effort from all involved to ensure
the development remains sustainable and meets its environmental
obligations."
Comments attributed to Agriculture and Food Minister
Jackie Jarvis:
"I congratulate the Kimberley Cotton Company for this
milestone, and wish them every success towards starting up in 2025.
"This processing facility is central to the development
of a sustainable cotton industry and will provide significant employment
opportunities for the Kununurra community.
"This is the largest agricultural project in WA's
north, and a fantastic example of collaboration between government, local
agricultural businesses, and Traditional Owners."
Regional Development Minister's office - 6552 6900
Agriculture and Food Minister's office - 6552 6200
