Narrandera Shire Council general manager George Cowan confirmed that his team are in the early stages of discussions with Wagners, a Toowomba-based exports firm with its own airport. 

Mr Cowan said Wagners had reached out in the hope of using Narrandera’s airport as an export base for premium Riverina meats.

“My understanding is that Mr Wagner’s operation is focused on high-end products, and we’d be looking to examine any opportunities that might exist for him to set up a service of that nature for this region using the Narrandera airport,” Mr Cowan said. 

“It hasn't matured beyond early discussion, but we're looking at any and all opportunities that might be out there to help meet the freight costs and open some agribusiness for our region.” 

With the world now experiencing a global shortage of protein, local agricultural leaders said this development could not have come at a better time. 

Wagga City councillor and Riverina Local Land Services director Paul Funnell said the Narrandera export program would be a “real game changer” for the region. 

“This is a magnificent opportunity to actually increase our beef export over the world, and it also goes to the heart of what we argue against live exports,” Cr Funnell said.

“Narrandera, in my view, is perfectly positioned for this – within a 500 kilometre radius, it can practically service the northern and western borders of NSW and also take you into Victoria.” 

Cr Funnell said that, with an export program like this, the opportunities for the Riverina to take advantage of the global protein shortage would be endless.

“It’s basic economics – if you’ve got the market, and we do, then you can crank things up and really increase our productivity exponentially,” he said.

“This is about creating an industry and jobs here in Australia for Australians, so I take my hat off to them and I just hope our politicians get their heads out of their proverbials and get rid of the bureaucracy and red tape to help make this happen.”

But it is not only producers who would stand to benefit – Alan Brown, sheep farmer and chair of the NSW Farmer’s Association Wagga branch, said the program’s focus on high-end products would do wonders for the whole region.

“Exporting premium products is always a good thing, because the whole supply chain benefits,” Mr Brown said.

“When you sell premium cuts, the producer gets paid a premium, but they also need premium packaging, premium delivery, premium grain for feeding, so the whole supply chain benefits.” 

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