Organic olive grower Mark Kailis is a big fan of organic food production, not only because of the quality of the produce but also its long-term viability.
Organic olive grower Mark Kailis is a big fan of organic food production, not only because of the quality of the produce but also its long-term viability.
The Perth businessman, and owner of Kailis Organic Olive Groves, says organic farming and foods are the way of the future.
Not only does ‘organic’ mean better food, it also creates sustainable farming, according to Mr Kailis.
And Western Australia was only now starting to catch on to an industry with a global market estimated to be worth $US26 billion in 2004, he said, with projected growth of between $US29 billion and $US31 billion this year.
The Australian industry is worth more than $A300 million, and exports $A50 million.
And given Mr Kailis’s past business successes, his extra virgin organic olive oil is sure to please.
By 2010, Mr Kailis plans to produce between four and six million litres of his increasingly popular extra virgin organic olive oil, and increase the number of export markets.
(Currently, the product is being sold in David Jones Australia-wide and the exclusive Harvey Nichols department stores in the UK.)
To reach this quantity, Mr Kailis said a further 915,000 olive trees would have to be planted, taking the Kailis Organic Olive Grove total plantation to one million trees.
An agreement Kailis Olive Processing Pty Ltd, entered into with Great Southern Plantations, under which Kailis will purchase all organic olive fruit produced for the full length of the project, will also increase quantity. (The Kailis Group will export for sale under the Kailis label.)
However, Mr Kailis is not alone in the WA organic sector.
Research from the Department of Agriculture’s organic agriculture development officer, Steven McCoy, indicates WA has:
• more than 220 certified organic or biodynamic operators, with the main products in the horticulture fruit and vegetable sectors, mixed broadacre grain and livestock operations; and
• 30 companies with organic processed products, including nine wineries.
Other products include beta carotene, noodles, salt, wines, olive oils, skin care, grains, juice, and honey.
Mr McCoy said there remained many good opportunities to capture a share of the rapidly expanding domestic organic export markets.
“Export demand enquiry for specific products continues,” he said.
“Recent trade opportunities pursued include fresh produce to Singapore and Malaysia, sauce manufacture for Indonesia, beef into South Korea, apples to Pakistan, barley and frozen bulk strawberry to Japan.”
Mr McCoy said recent organic industry developments were a sure sign of more to come from the organic industry.
Among these developments are: Nick Tana’s new 405-hectare carrot operation with 40.5ha pivot irrigator conversion to organic carrots; a $140,000 regional partnership grant to organic fresh and frozen gourmet food business, Fine Food Company, Bridgetown, for expansion, including new processing and tourism facility; and a feasibility study into the production of organic dairy in the Great Southern.
“WA now has a number of experienced, practical organic and biodynamic farmers with expanding market opportunities, who are willing to promote the development of best practice in modern organic farming systems,” Mr McCoy said.
“The Department of Agriculture aims to increase the market opportunities for organic agriculture products by working with producers and processors to meet the demands of expanding organic markets.”
