Councillor Jamie Chaffey, Mayor of Gunnedah Shire Council and Chair of Namoi Unlimited (the Joint Organisation that Walcha Council belongs to), said NSW Trade and Investment representatives are based in a number of locations across the world.

“These are important resources for our region’s producers and exporters to connect with,” Mr Chaffey said.

“To have three representatives from key Asian markets in the Namoi region is a real coup for them and for us, it was an opportunity to hear about what assistance producers need to grow their businesses.

“In 2015, Namoi Unlimited undertook some work with the Regional Australia Institute to identify levers to grow the region’s economy - that work told us, that we need to understand the opportunity and engage in international markets to enable agricultural innovators.

“These levers could potentially grow the economy by $900million by 2030.”

Namoi Unlimited executive officer Rebel Thomson said thirty businesses from across the New England North West attended the event.

“I don’t believe we had any responses from Walcha businesses to attend - but that probably doesn’t mean that they are not there,” she said.

“We are looking to potentially conduct more of these types of events with NSW Trade and would like to know from businesses in Walcha - what is it that they need help with, what would help businesses who want to export get there?

“We see our role as a group of Councils is to facilitate opportunities for the region’s producers to do what they do best – business and commerce.”

For more information contact Walcha Council.