Agribusiness

Olive oil, chocolate, avocados, marron and cider are among a number of Western Australian products that are ideal for local industry to target as premium markets, according to a report commissioned by the Department of Agriculture and food released Thursday night.

Aquacuture firm Atlas Pearls and Perfumes has locked in two debt facility agreements for a total of $3 million, one of which is with its director, Tim Martin.

Quintis has suffered its fourth credit ratings downgrade within a month, after the troubled Indian sandalwood producer on Tuesday revealed more operational and financial issues.

Sandalwood producer Quintis has revealed more operational and financial pain, with the embattled Perth company suspending plantation sales, lowering forecast product sales and admitting a $27 million investment would not proceed.

An upgrade to a meat processing plant at Katanning, a chicken feed mill in Muchea, a new piggery at Moora and a live lobster holding facility in Welshpool are the latest in a string of investments that will boost the agribusiness sector in Western Australia.

Global ratings agency S&P has cut its credit rating for Quintis for the second time this month and kept the troubled Indian sandalwood producer on credit watch with negative implications, suggesting another downgrade is possible.

Fremantle-based livestock exporter Wellard has appointed Chinese businessman Kanda Lu as an executive director in an effort to boost the company's expansion into China's beef cattle market. 

Shares in sandalwood company Quintis have gone into a trading halt, after horrific losses last week including a nearly 36 per cent fall on Friday.

SPECIAL REPORT: Fogarty Wine Group has built its brand over two decades to top the list of WA’s major producers.