Jobs to flow from $250k grant to CQ business

Allenden Seeds will employ 32 people and upgrade infrastructure.

Allenden Seeds owner Sydney Allenden and his son Clint at their facility near Biloela.

JOBS and infrastructure will flow from a $250,000 government grant to Allenden Seeds, near Biloela, to help kickstart the economy from its COVID-induced slump.

Allenden Seeds will support more than 30 jobs and upgrade its storage and on-farm facilities with the Rural Economic Development grant.

Director Sydney Allenden said the implementation of the new infrastructure would allow the company to increase its grain throughput by 50 per cent.

Mr Allenden said up to 32 jobs would be created directly and indirectly through the project.

“Allenden Seeds is currently unable to meet grower demand for storage and grain processing and our existing infrastructure limits the productivity of our company,” he said.

“Our limited storage means we have to turn away many growers from North and Central Queensland areas, who then have no option other than to transport their grain south, which is considerable financial burden to them and also a significant economic loss for this demographic.”

Allenden Seeds owner Sydney Allenden and his son Clint at their facility near Biloela.

The project will be conducted in stages, Mr Allenden said, with the first stage focusing on boosting storage and processing capacity.

“In the first stage of this project we will install 10 new 180 tonne silos to increase our storage capacity by 1800 tonnes,” he said.

“The new gravity table will be capable of processing up to 15 tonne per hour and will completely replace the four separate gravity tables we currently have installed.”

Agricultural Industry Development Minister Mark Furner. Photographer: Liam Kidston.

Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Minister Mark Furner said Allenden Seeds was one of 14 businesses in Queensland to receive a RED grant of up to $250,000 to fund the expansion of their business.

“Allenden Seeds is one of only two seed grading companies between Burdekin and Dalby,” Mr Furner said.

“Primarily producing mung bean for human consumption, Allenden Seeds diversify their facility to grade and pack wheat, chickpea, lablab, millet, cowpea and Leucaena.

“International demand allows for their mung bean and chickpea products to be exported to markets in China, India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Europe and Canada.

“The funding will be used to upgrade current infrastructure and increase the grain storage and handling capacities of the business.

“We know the COVID-19 pandemic has made it tough for a lot of businesses and communities, so these additional jobs will be most welcome.”

The RED Grants program offers emerging projects up to $250,000 in co-contributions to build industry and grow employment opportunities across the agricultural sector.

The $10 million grants program provides for three funding rounds over a three-year period ending 2021.

A total of 14 businesses have received $3.34 million under the second round of funding for the RED Grants program.

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