mmg.com.au

Tatura abattoir manager Justin Gathercole wants to start selling more in Australia and overseas within three years.

Mr Gathercole said a $600000 project to increase sewerage disposal at his abattoir would improve its facilities to allow for that company growth.

The abattoir, Goulburn Valley Water and the Victorian Government have all contributed $200000 for the project.

‘‘Improving our infrastructure will provide a platform for us to look for new markets,’’ Mr Gathercole said.

‘‘We want to increase our penetration of overseas and domestic markets.’’

The project will build a new sewer pump station next to the abattoir, a 1.6km sewer main and a new connection to an existing main that releases to a wastewater management plant.

Mr Gathercole said his abattoir was spending $5million during the next five years to increase its weekly number of lambs processed from 9000 to 12500.

He said the abattoir had already spent $1million upgrading its lamb storage yards.

‘‘All the space on our site is filled with the plans we have,’’ he said.

Mr Gathercole said increasing the abattoir’s operations would eventually create new jobs.

State Member for Shepparton Jeanette Powell said the abattoir’s new sewerage system would benefit all of Tatura.

‘‘(It) will also help improve odour amenity within the township ... and may even support the expansion of other local industries by making additional flow capacity within the urban sewer system available,’’ Mrs Powell said.

The Gathercole family has operated the Tatura abattoir since 1984.