INDUSTRY NEWS
New facility underway
Construction has begun on Australian Farm Services ' new almond processing plant near Murray Downs , NSW . It will increase the industry ' s hulling and shelling capacity by 17,500 tonnes .
12
INSTITUTIONAL farm management company , Australian Farming Services ( AFS ), owned by US and Australian investors , has started construction on an almond processing plant near Murray Downs in NSW , across the border from Victorian regional city Swan Hill . The move will create the sixth major marketing brand in the industry and increase industry hulling and shelling capacity by 17,500 tonnes . AFS CEO David Armstrong is hopeful that the first stage of the multi-million dollar facility will be operational in April 2024 , to cater for a portion of the AFS tonnage from the 2024 harvest . He admits that completion of such a major job within the next 10 months would be challenging but the project remained on track with purpose-built equipment from the USA already arriving on site . Civil works are well
“
In A Nutshell - Winter 2023 Vol 24 Issue 2
We are committed to processing as soon as possible . Our yields are growing every year .
- AFS CEO David Armstrong under way and shed construction had commenced . “ There is a lot that has to go right , but we are committed to processing as soon as possible ,” he said . “ Our yields are growing every year and we have been very fortunate that contingencies with other processors remain in place if construction delays occur .” Mr Armstrong has made no secret of the company ’ s reluctance to enter the almond processing and marketing business . “ We came into this industry not that long ago purely as growers , but discovered down the track that processing capacity was going to be a major issue ,” he said . “ We didn ’ t see that coming at the time but have had to pivot and make some significant investment decisions to protect the value of our crop .” The AFS processing project is a direct result of increased plantings across the industry outstripping processing capacity . The ABA estimates that production will increase from 143,805 tonnes last season to more than 185,000 tonnes by 2025 . AFS have established 4,500 hectares of almond orchards near Balranald in NSW and Kenley in Victoria , with development starting in 2017 . There