If you enjoy watermelon or pumpkin, it is likely that the produce came from Ceres Farm in Kununurra, northern Western Australia. The farm, managed by Matt and Melanie Gray, is situated in the Kimberley region known for its favorable conditions for agriculture.
Matt Gray highlighted the benefits of their location: "We have a distinct dry season with a reliable water source, so can grow good quality crops that aren’t affected by inconsistent weather patterns. It means we can supply summer fruit into a winter market domestically, eliminating the need to import that produce."
Ceres Farm uses irrigation from Lake Argyle to sustain their crops. According to Matt, "Irrigators use 7% of the river’s annual dry season flow, which has minimal impact on the amount of water in the Ord River system and environment."
The farm ensures fresh produce reaches domestic markets swiftly. Melanie Gray emphasized their logistics strategy: "We have trucks to every market so from one day to the next, depending on where that truck is going, we can get that product to market."
Ceres Farm was established in 1994 and expanded under Matt and Melanie's management since 2011. They focus on soil health through crop rotation. "Because we’re in this for the long-term we really want to make sure that soil health is there for the next generation – our three boys – so it’s really important to practice crop rotation and diversity," said Melanie.
Recently, with support from NAB, they doubled their operation size. This expansion allowed them to grow complementary crops such as maize/corn and cotton alongside fruits and vegetables.
"Cotton is one of the most water efficient crops we grow," explained Matt regarding their crop rotation strategy involving cotton and corn.
The opening of a new cotton gin in Kununurra marks an important development for local growers. Melanie noted its significance: "Up until this year, transport has been our biggest challenge...with the opening of the new gin...we have confidence to increase our growing area."
Export opportunities are also expanding due to Wyndham Port's First Point of Entry status granted by the Federal Government. This proximity facilitates quicker turnaround times for exports like cotton.
Staffing remains a challenge; however, initiatives like Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme help address seasonal labor shortages. Matt stated: "Most of our seasonal staff have been coming in from Timor Leste and Vanuatu as part of the PALM Scheme...It has really changed our business."
Community cooperation plays an essential role too. As Melanie remarked: “Cooperating with other farms means having ability...to coordinate transportation both in and out.”