A $300,000 State Government Regional Development Fund grant will assist South Pacific Seeds (SPS) to build the new plant in Naracoorte, allowing locally grown seeds to be processed and exported directly to markets in Asia, Europe and Australia.

Along with the creation of ten ongoing full-time equivalent positions, twelve will also be created during the construction of the facility. South Pacific Seeds will also need to contract additional Limestone Coast growers to supply seeds to the Lucindale Road plant for processing and export.

The grant will assist Stage One of the overall project, which is the construction of a new $2.9 million processing facility. A total investment of $5.4 million is planned with subsequent developments.

The first seeds are expected to be exported this year.

Background 

South Pacific Seeds (SPS) was established in 1986 and specialises in producing high quality vegetable seed crops under contract agreements for customers around the world.

The company’s core business involves contracting growers across South Eastern Australia to multiply specific varieties and crop types from seeding through to processing and export. SPS is also the leading supplier of commercial vegetable seeds to the Australian market.

The South Australian Division of SPS produces a range of high value vegetable seed crops – including carrots, onion, radish, pak choi and celery – for global markets, and more recently became the preferred production partner with CSIRO to produce Kebari Ultra-Low Gluten Barley, the world’s first low gluten barley).

The State Government’s Regional Development Fund (RDF) drives economic growth through grants to boost investment in regional infrastructure and the creation of jobs in South Australia.

The RDF has been independently assessed by Ernst and Young. This assessment showed that projects supported by the RDF in the 2016/17 financial year alone would make an economic contribution to the state of over $1 billion and create over 3000 regional jobs.

Source: PIRSA