![Agri Australis general manager Alessandro Boccardo with Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson at the 2000-hectare hazelnut farm at Narrandera. Agri Australis general manager Alessandro Boccardo with Primary Industries Minister Katrina Hodgkinson at the 2000-hectare hazelnut farm at Narrandera.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/silverstone-agfeed/2074470.jpg/r0_0_1024_576_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
A GLOBAL confectionery giant hopes a $70 million investment can kick start the NSW hazelnut industry.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
or signup to continue reading
Agri Australis is a subsidiary of the Ferrero Group, which makes Ferrero Rocher, Nutella and Kinder Buenos, and the company has started planting on its multimillion dollar investment at a farm near Narrandera.
More than one million hazelnut trees will be planted at the 2000-hectare farm by mid-2016, said Agri Australis general manager Alessandro Boccardo following a visit by Primary Industries NSW Minister for Katrina Hodgkinson on Tuesday.
"We are really targeting the development of the hazelnut industry in Australia," Mr Boccardo said.
"We want local growers and investors to take an interest."
Mr Boccardo said most of the nuts would be used to make Nutella, a chocolate-hazelnut spread, for the domestic market.
Others could be exported, with some used to make other Ferrero confections such as the Rocher or Buenos.
"We want to use high quality product, produced locally," he said.
Ms Hodgkinson said the State government worked closely with Agri Australis to facilitate the investment, which would create more than 100 jobs for the Narrandera district.
"This investment will not only directly create up to 50 permanent jobs and more than 50 seasonal jobs; it will indirectly provide a welcome boost to the Narrandera economy," she said.
Ms Hodgkinson agreed the project had the potential to boost the NSW hazelnut industry.
"Currently Australia only produces about 80 tonnes of hazelnuts annually and imports more than 2000 tonnes," Ms Hodgkinson said.
"Once this farm is fully operational, it is expected it will generate some 5000 tonnes of hazelnuts and has the potential, with the contribution of local growers, to enable the NSW industry to meet a production target of 10,000 tonnes in the medium term.
"This investment has the potential to kick start a productive industry in NSW, which could become a $200 million export business for Australia."
Ms Hodgkinson said farmers in NSW could follow the lead of the Ferrero Group to consider hazelnuts as an option to help increase diversification and provide a new income stream.