Minister for Industry and Science Tim Ayres (centre) with SunRice dignitaries at the opening of the upgraded packing hall. Photo: Supplied.
Leeton’s rice mill, owned by food giant SunRice, has unveiled a new packing hall that received a $15 million upgrade to improve its speed, efficiency and worker safety.
The Federal Government contributed $5 million towards the upgrade, and Minister for Industry and Science Tim Ayres toured and officially opened the new facility on Friday (8 August).
“It’s really good to come back to rice growers in Leeton and see what a big impact this $15 million investment is going to have on plant productivity and the sustainability of this vital piece of Australian regional industrial infrastructure,” Minister Ayres told a press conference.
“This will deliver good jobs, investment and a more profitable future for rice growers. I know exactly how important these kinds of investments are for regional farmers.”
SunRice shed dozens of jobs in both Leeton and Deniliquin during the drought years of 2018 and 2019. Since then, rice production has fluctuated year to year.
The investment, which upgraded 75 per cent of the mill’s packing equipment, incorporates advanced packing and production technologies to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and workplace safety.
It includes:
- New technology to enable shelf-ready, space-efficient formats and transition to 100 per cent recyclable mono plastics.
- A 15-20 per cent increase in packing capacity and improved line efficiency.
- Real-time data monitoring for enhanced performance and faster issue resolution.
- Improved working conditions, with reduced workplace healthy and safety risks and upskilling opportunities for current employees.
“It was a pleasure to host Minister Ayres in Leeton and showcase our $15 million investment in the latest packing technology,” SunRice CEO Paul Serra said.
”This upgrade lifts SunRice’s capacity by up to 20 per cent, helping us get more product to shelves faster, supporting local growers and jobs, and advancing our move to more recyclable packaging – all while delivering the quality and freshness SunRice is known for.”
SunRice was originally named the Ricegrowers’ Co-operative Limited when it was founded by rice growers across the Riverina in 1950.
Under a long-standing arrangement known as “vesting”, the NSW Government gave SunRice the sole and exclusive right to sell and market NSW rice overseas. The arrangement was lifted by the present Labor Government this year, allowing individual growers to market and export their own rice.
Nevertheless, Minister Ayres highlighted the continued importance of the company, which employs more than 2000 people worldwide.
“They’re important in economic terms and agricultural terms here in this region,” he said.
”But rice growers’ global footprint is a powerful national asset and I’ve seen their work in our region and what an impact that has in economic development and strategic terms in the Asia-Pacific region.
”I’ve always been an enthusiastic backer of rice growers, and I’ll keep doing it.”
