18 October 1999

The development of Australian seed and biotechnology company Nugrain Pty Ltd was given a further boost today with the announcement that Wesfarmers Dalgety Ltd has taken a position in the company.

Wesfarmers Dalgety joins agricultural chemical company Nufarm Ltd and four bulk handling companies, Vicgrain Limited, GrainCorp Limited, South Australian Cooperative Bulk Handling and Cooperative Bulk Handling Western Australia as a participant in Nugrain.

Chairman of Nugrain, Allan McCallum, said that the involvement of Wesfarmers Dalgety in Nugrain would significantly enhance the company’s platform of services to plant breeders, growers and consumers of grain products.

"Wesfarmers Dalgety has an extensive network of retail outlets and agronomists nationally servicing grain growers with a range of products and technical advice required to produce superior crops. This resource will be a critical element in ensuring that farmers reap maximum benefit from new plant varieties – both genetically modified and conventional.

"The ability of Wesfarmers Dalgety and Nufarm to manage products and technologies in the field, together with the combined grain handling and storage assets and expertise of the four bulk handling companies, means Nugrain will play a leading role in the development of new plant technologies in Australia"

Wesfarmers Dalgety Ltd Managing Director, Richard Goyder, said that the involvement of the company in Nugrain was an important step towards its vision of being Australia’s leading provider of agribusiness products, services and solutions.

"We are looking forward to working with the other Nugrain shareholders to develop products and supply chains that will meet the requirements of growers, customers and other stakeholders in plant technology.