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$20m crack at big walnut market
16 Apr 2004
Tasmanian walnut producer Webster Ltd will invest $20 million expanding into NSW, establishing 850ha of orchards at Griffith in the Riverina over the next four years.
Webster's has 600ha of walnut orchards on Tasmania's East Coast at Swansea and Cranbrook, where harvesting of this year's crop is under way. It owns Australia's only commercial walnut nursery, at Forth near Devonport, which will provide all the trees for the NSW expansion. Site works have started at the Griffith property, Ercildoune, with 250ha to be planted this year.
Australia imports about 6,000 tonnes of walnuts each year. Webster's will have its first commercial crop this year: it will harvest 80 to 90 tonnes from several varieties, up from 30 tonnes last year. By 2012, Webster Walnuts should harvest up to 3,000 tonnes, supplying half the Australian market.
The Mercury, 15/4/04, page 7.
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