Agribusiness

Avocado grower and Fresh Produce Alliance co-founder Jennifer Franceschi has been named the Telstra Western Australian Businesswoman of the Year, joining an alumni that includes Gina Rinehart.

SPECIAL REPORT: Mitsui & Company, Shell and Itochu Corporation are among a swag of businesses that have made substantial investments in the state’s exporting industries over the decades, showing that foreign investors can contribute without directly operating assets.

Cooler conditions and decent rainfall have prompted the grain industry association to boost production forecasts across regional Western Australia by 12.4 per cent.

Local agribusiness Wellard has promoted non-executive director Fred Troncone to an executive position on the board, as its founder and chief executive committed to remaining with the company until at least the end of the year.

Fremantle Octopus hopes a new trap and some extra cash will propel its business into a much broader marketplace.

The founders of four Western Australian businesses, in industries ranging from mining software and horticulture to construction and industrial equipment, have been selected as finalists in the 2017 EY Entrepreneur Of The Year awards.

Some of the major players formerly behind essential oils business Mt Romance are involved in a new sandalwood player in Western Australia, which is half-owned by an indigenous group.

UPDATED: The federal government has declined to provide co-funding for two irrigation projects in Western Australia’s South West that were expected to trigger a total investment of $460 million and create 1,500 jobs, after an expert panel found the WA government did not fully address the assessment criteria.

An investor has chosen not to sell a parcel of plantations to troubled sandalwood producer Quintis, with the first deadline to exercise the option having expired.