| Food boom rules rural jobs in Victoria |
FOOD and grocery processing in Victoria is well poised to fill the employment gap left by other manufacturing sectors such as cars, new research shows.
An Australian Food and Grocery Council analysis has shown food manufacturing is responsible for almost half all manufacturing jobs in regional Victoria — and with a 28 per cent growth in food and beverage exports last year, there’s every reason to expect more.
“This reminds us that we still maintain a manufacturing base in this country, which is especially important as the motor vehicle manufacturing sector is moving offshore and mining investment is declining,” AFGC chief executive Gary Dawson said.
The AFGC analysis, based on recent census data, showed that of 65,128 manufacturing jobs in regional Victoria, 27,156 were in food processing.
Of that figure, 10.6 per cent were employed in Moira Shire, followed by Indigo Shire with 10.4 per cent and Campaspe Shire with 9.7 per cent.
Mr Dawson said despite difficult domestic conditions for the wider manufacturing sector, the growth in food and beverage exports — an additional $26 billion in the previous financial year alone — was promising.
“Victoria is the biggest exporting state with $7.5 billion of food and grocery products exported in 2014-15, which shows a huge potential for future Australian jobs,” he said.
Nestle Australia chief executive Trevor Clayton agreed. Nestle has four factories in Victoria employing 1200 people, including sites at Wahgunyah, Tongala and Broadford.
“There is increasing overseas demand for Australian-made high-quality products,” Mr Clayton said.
“For us to remain competitive we are continually seeking out new and innovative ways to manage the pressures that face the business.”
Mr Clayton said Nestle had invested $17 million in the Tongala plant in recent years for a health sciences plant, and $7 million at Wahgunyah developing a new production line.
But while there were opportunities for more growth, Mr Clayton warned that governments should support the sector by “providing an environment that doesn’t burden us with excessive regulation that can slow us down, curb our capacity to innovate in a global market and add cost without commensurate benefit”.
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