Scholarship to develop rainforest fruits business
27th September, 2007
Martha Shepherd of Galeru Pty Ltd in Cooroy has won an Australian Government In-Market Experience Scholarship to enhance her native rainforest fruits business.Federal Member for Wide Bay Warren Truss said Ms Shepherd will explore the domestic and export market potential for a range of new value-added food products based on Australian native rainforest fruits.
“Ms Shepherd will attend the G’Day LA Australia week festival in the United States and will also meet with food processing experts to seek advice on fruit nutritional properties and optimum processing methods,” Mr Truss said.
“Only ten of these $12,500 scholarships have been awarded across Australia so clearly Ms Shepherd is already recognised as an adept agribusiness manager.”
“In her travels to open up domestic and export markets for this local product, she will be a wonderful ambassador, not only for her own cutting-edge business and product, but also for the region.”
The In-Market Experience Scholarships are part of the Government’s New Industries Development Programme, which helps agribusinesses turn innovative ideas into commercial realities.
Scholarship recipients, mostly from rural and regional areas, can use the scholarship to undertake activities such as business skills training, develop supply chain partnerships and investigate market opportunities.
The 10 successful scholarship winners work in a diverse range of commodity areas including growing ultra-fine wool, baby pink snapper, pearl oysters and wild fingerlimes.
For further information on the New Industries Development Program, visit: www.daff.gov.au/agribiz
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