Austral wins national agribusiness prize

Commercial fishing company Austral Fisheries has taken the top prize in the agribusiness category at this year’s Australian Export Awards.

West Leederville-based Austral, which specialises in sustainable seafood, was the only Western Australian winner at the awards, held in Melbourne last Friday night.

Commerce Minister Michael Mischin said the deep-sea fishing company’s ‘ocean to plate’ focus and efforts in creating a valued, high-class brand had led to their products being sold worldwide.

“Austral greatly deserves this recognition and is just one example of the excellence displayed by the WA business community, showing that our standards and achievements are among the nation’s best,” he said.

“The last time WA had a national export award winner was in 2013, when Otraco International won the ‘minerals and energy’ award.’’

Austral was incorporated in 1981 and is jointly owned by Kailis Fisheries Holdings and Maruha Nichiro Corporation, and is led by David Carter.

It employs 230 staff in WA and reported about $120 million in revenue in the last financial year, according to BNiQ data.