Sarah Oliver
A state government funding injection will help a Parwan mushroom business create a safe working environment for staff.
Regional Development Minister Mary-Anne Thomas visited Parwan Valley Mushrooms near Bacchus Marsh this week to announce the funding as part of the state government’s agriculture resilience and recovery program to support the company to upgrade its packing processes.
The upgrades will include automating box movement and pallet stations, as well as increasing the size of the pre-packaging area to create a safer working environment for staff.
“It’s great to see how businesses are adapting to a new way of working – in this case, keeping staff safe with automated packing technology,” Ms Thomas said.
“This grant will enable this key Australian mushroom supplier to boost its business, supporting jobs in the region.”
Melton MP Steve McGhie said: “We are supporting upgrades to Parwan Valley Mushrooms to keep workers safe and prevent the spread of coronavirus in a crucial agribusiness.”
Parwan Valley Mushrooms, which launched in 2010, sells about a third of its produce to Coles supermarkets and employs 104 workers. It processes up to 50 metric tonnes of mushrooms each week, which is four per cent of the Australian market.
The farm is based within the ,880 hectare Parwan Employment Precinct, a site that is expected to create up to 1500 full-time jobs over six years.
