The ETG Queensland Processing team at its Mt Tyson site. Photo: ETG Australia

ETG AUSTRALIA has finalised its purchase of the Mt Tyson processing and packing facility on southern Queensland’s Darling Downs.

The site is a key location for packing of chickpeas and mungbeans, and was listed in October last year as having a 12,000-tonne storage capacity.

It will operate as ETG Queensland Processing.

The site was offered for sale following Saudi Agricultural and Livestock Investment Company’s purchase of a majority stake in Olam Agri, which took over the site through its purchase of Queensland Cotton in 2008.

“ETG is excited about expanding and further strengthening its processing capabilities to keep up with the ever-increasing global demand for pulses and other specialty crops” ETG Australia’s country head and director Cassandra Tipler said.

ETG started in Africa in 1967, and now owns and operates what is believed to be the world’s largest pulse platform, spanning more than 15 countries, which since 2014 has included Australia.

ETG Australia was incorporated in 2014, and since then, it has exported more than 1.5 million tonnes of pulses, and has built strong relationships with Australian growers and global customers.

In 2019, ETG Australia bought Wimpak, a pulse grading and packing facility at Minyip in Victoria’s Wimmera district, which has enabled it to grow its footprint in western Victoria.

The acquisition of the Mt Tyson facility will allow ETG Australia to expand in Queensland and northern New South Wales, which form a key pulse-growing region of Australia.

“This expansion will complement ETG’s existing pulse and special crop value-adding facilities located in key regions globally, helping to solidify the groups position as a trusted global supplier in the processed pulses space,” ETG Australia head of trading – Australian pulses Todd Krahe said.

ETG global pulses chief executive officer Rav Kapoor said the purchase of the Mt Tyson facility displays the company’s commitment to increasing its investment in Australia, and a further strengthening of ETG’s position in the global pulses market.

Aberdeen poultry set to list

Aberdeen Poultry is one of Qld’s largest poultry production enterprises, and will soon list with JLL Agribusiness.

It is expected to attract strong interest from investors seeking large-scale agricultural infrastructure backed by secure contracted income.

The campaign comes amid continued growth in Australia’s poultry sector, with chicken remaining the nation’s most consumed protein source.

Queensland accounts for approximately 30 percent of national poultry production, and south-east Qld is widely regarded as one of the country’s most biologically secure poultry-production zones.

Aberdeen Poultry is located at Pratten on Qld’s southern Darling Downs. Photo: JLL

Located on the southern Darling Downs, Aberdeen Poultry comprises 16 modern broiler sheds across 98.2ha, and current production capacity is more than 823,000 birds per batch.

The enterprise also benefits from an existing development approval for an additional eight sheds, creating a pathway to expand total capacity beyond 1.2 million birds per batch.

The operation is underpinned by long-term grower agreements with ASX-listed Inghams Group  through to 2033, providing stable contracted revenue and exposure to Australia’s largest poultry market.

JLL agribusiness senior director Chris Holgar said opportunities of this scale and expansion readiness were increasingly rare.

“Aberdeen Poultry represents one of the most significant poultry production offerings to emerge in Queensland for over a decade,” Mr Holgar said.

“The combination of institutional-grade infrastructure, long-term contracted income, and approved expansion capacity positions the asset as a highly compelling investment opportunity.”

Developed across two separate eight-shed farms commissioned in 2015 and 2020, the enterprise features state-of-the-art operating systems and cost efficiencies including large scale solar and low-cost water supply that underpin the financial performance of the enterprise.

JLL agribusiness director Jock Grimshaw said the existing approvals created a significant competitive advantage in a tightening cost and regulatory environment.

“With increasing barriers to entry across intensive livestock sectors, fully developed and approved poultry assets of this calibre are becoming increasingly difficult to replicate,” Mr Grimshaw said.

“The existing approvals for further expansion provide a clear pathway for future value creation.”

Aberdeen Poultry will be offered for sale via an expressions of interest campaign expected to commence before the month is out.

Sources: ETG Australia, JLL