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Kangaroo Island needs investment to reach full food potential

Members of Kangaroo Island's booming food production and manufacturing industry have expressed their frustration at a lack of government investment.

According to Adelaide Now, poor roads, high freight costs, inadequate power and talk of developing marine parks, which could damage the Island's seafood industry, are proving to be serious roadblocks for producers.

Good Food Kangaroo Island chairman, Justin Harman, said "Six years ago we won the Vogue Entertainment best Regional Produce Award for Australia and since then we've seen the development of a range of new products.

"We're going through a second phase of growth and when you look at the variety of food from a small area, it would be hard to beat," he said.

The region produces some top quality products, including lamb, beef, seafood, free range eggs, sheep milk cheeses, marron, cherries, olive oil, ducks and its famous ligurian bee honey – not to mention one of the country's largest abalone farms, KI Abalone Farm and Kangaroo Island Pure Grain.

The region is also a leader in cool climate vegetable production.

Ensuring the area can reach its full potential, however, will depend on the government's willingness to invest in its infrastructure.

Kangaroo Island mayor, Jayne Bates, told Adelaide Now, "The problem is most producers can't meet the demand for their produce and you come back to the shortage of power and other infrastructure problems."

"We need a $100 million-plus power upgrade," she said, arguing that the reason Kangaroo Island's

economy isn't improving is because of infrastructure failings including an upgraded airport, improved roads and more power, because half the island runs on diesel.

"I've seen what the island has achieved with no assistance, imagine what we could do with some assistance."


 

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