Kimberley Cotton Company
NAIF Loan: Up to $34m. Investment Decision: August 2021.
About the Project
NAIF’s loan will help construct a cotton gin facility, located in Kununurra, within the east Kimberley region of Western Australia.
The Ord River District Cooperative, Kimberley Agricultural Investment and the Miriuwung Gajerrong Corporation are working collaboratively to build the gin which will establish a new cotton growing industry in the region.
The cotton gin will comprise a two-stand gin module and ancillary infrastructure.
Economic Impact
The cotton gin will establish a new cotton growing industry in the region, create around 30 direct jobs during construction, up to 31 direct ongoing jobs when operational, as well as many indirect business and employment opportunities.
The development of the gin will also remove the need to transport unprocessed cotton interstate.
Overall the Project is forecast to yield significant public benefits (outside of proponent) of up to A$248 million over 20 years.
The Project is also expected to bring transformational benefits to northern Australia, particularly in the ORIA and the western top end region of NT. The largest of these is the creation of a new cotton industry and a new export product out of ORIA.
Indigenous Engagement
The proponent’s IES satisfactorily meets the IES Mandatory Criterion under the NAIF Investment Mandate with outcomes across Indigenous participation, procurement, and employment appropriate to the nature and scale of the project and the quantum of the NAIF loan. This includes a 10% direct and indirect Indigenous employment target across construction and operation phases of the Project.
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