Ms LAWRIE - 2001-10-18
Can the minister advise the House what the Martin government is doing to assist the Northern Territory mango industry?
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama. Indeed, another very important industry for the Northern Territory, a very important primary industry. We have seen the mango industry grow dramatically over the last 10 years in the Northern Territory. We have about 800 000 trees as far as we know - it could be as many as a million trees out there - coming to maturity. With that we are developing an industry that is now worth $35m, with around 1.7 million trays of mangos per season.
Last year, we saw some quite severe problems with the clearing of the crop from the Northern Territory, and it was a combination of factors. What it indicated was that the industry has reached a point in its development where we have to address, quite critically, marketing and infrastructural issues. if the industry is going to now continue to consolidate. It involves a greater effort in exporting our produce, particularly to South-East Asia.
We are almost at the point where - for our part of the year where our fruit is ripening onto the market - we have just about outgrown the size of the domestic market nationally. There is some very important work to be done by the mango industry and, of course, the best people to do that work is the industry itself. This government has provided an assistance package for the Northern Territory mango industry to the total of $11 500, and the provision of a vehicle for four months to support the operation of a Mango Industry Development Officer, and to assist industry development and quality control during the current season. The current season, as you know, is now in full swing. We expect, over the period from now to the end of November, there will be an enormous amount of product being cleared out of the Katherine and Darwin regions.
The mango industry is committed to producing a top grade product and achieving sustainability. We are maintaining, in addition to the specific grants given to the industry association, some $250 000 worth of support through my Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, and through the Department of Industry and Business. The DPI, in association with the peak industry body, the Northern Territory Horticultural Association, has put in place a number of strategies to improve industry outcomes, including formation of a Northern Territory Mango Industry Association with its own constitution, initial development of an industry development plan, and the appointment of an Industry Development Officer for Mangoes.
We intend to staunchly maintain the support for this very important primary industry sector, and you can look forward to seeing the mango industry playing an increasingly prominent role in the Territory economy into the future.
ANSWER
Madam Speaker, I thank the member for Karama. Indeed, another very important industry for the Northern Territory, a very important primary industry. We have seen the mango industry grow dramatically over the last 10 years in the Northern Territory. We have about 800 000 trees as far as we know - it could be as many as a million trees out there - coming to maturity. With that we are developing an industry that is now worth $35m, with around 1.7 million trays of mangos per season.
Last year, we saw some quite severe problems with the clearing of the crop from the Northern Territory, and it was a combination of factors. What it indicated was that the industry has reached a point in its development where we have to address, quite critically, marketing and infrastructural issues. if the industry is going to now continue to consolidate. It involves a greater effort in exporting our produce, particularly to South-East Asia.
We are almost at the point where - for our part of the year where our fruit is ripening onto the market - we have just about outgrown the size of the domestic market nationally. There is some very important work to be done by the mango industry and, of course, the best people to do that work is the industry itself. This government has provided an assistance package for the Northern Territory mango industry to the total of $11 500, and the provision of a vehicle for four months to support the operation of a Mango Industry Development Officer, and to assist industry development and quality control during the current season. The current season, as you know, is now in full swing. We expect, over the period from now to the end of November, there will be an enormous amount of product being cleared out of the Katherine and Darwin regions.
The mango industry is committed to producing a top grade product and achieving sustainability. We are maintaining, in addition to the specific grants given to the industry association, some $250 000 worth of support through my Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries, and through the Department of Industry and Business. The DPI, in association with the peak industry body, the Northern Territory Horticultural Association, has put in place a number of strategies to improve industry outcomes, including formation of a Northern Territory Mango Industry Association with its own constitution, initial development of an industry development plan, and the appointment of an Industry Development Officer for Mangoes.
We intend to staunchly maintain the support for this very important primary industry sector, and you can look forward to seeing the mango industry playing an increasingly prominent role in the Territory economy into the future.
Last updated: 09 Aug 2016