AFTER 10 years of farming mangoes and limes at her Mareeba farm, Valentina Caamano-Bermudez has begun a new era.
The multi-generational farmer said the transition from a grower-only operation to a grower-packer operation had been an aspiration from the start.
Ms Caamano-Bermudez used the Queensland Rural and Industry Development Authority's Rural Economic Development (RED) Grant to fund a fruit grading and packing machine.
"The grant will help me set up a packing facility to grow our farm operation and produce more limes and mangoes more efficiently," she said.
"The packing facility will increase the amount of produce we can get onto the market floor."
The upgrades are expected to improve efficiency and productivity by decreasing fruit processing time, as well as enhancing product quality through superior handling and storage facilities.
"I started with very little and have slowly grown my farm enough to sustain a packing facility of my own," she said.
"Packing your own produce represents one of the final farm practices. In order to sell my produce as soon as possible and continue with other farm activities, an in-house packing facility was the next step in making the farm an end to end process.
"I view the packing facility as a remarkable investment - I can truly see the financial benefit of the investment.
"The trees are bearing well, the yields will only increase and packing onsite is just the next step in the small plan ahead."
The transition is expected to produce at least four new shed and paddock production jobs for locals.
"I made a promise to work with locals and to help provide a financially stable future for my staff and their families," Ms Caamano-Bermudez said.
"Support locals, it's not just a farmer you are supporting, it's a whole family, (and) their employees and their families benefit too."
Ms Caamano-Bermudez said she would love to see more Australian consumers choose to buy local, in season and in supply produce.
"They cost less, taste better and last longer," she said.
"Australia is large enough to sustain the local market with our products (and) buying local also supports local farmers and their families.
"(Choosing local produce also) reduces the food freight to get food right to your door - thus only increasing the quality as to which you receive it."
Ms Caamano-Bermudez is one of 24 businesses approved for the fifth round of the RED grants program, which has a total funding of $3.9 million.
The fifth round of the program is expected to create up to 215 direct, long-term jobs.
Grants are available for up to $200,000 with a 50 per cent cash contribution requirement from rural and remote Queensland applicants to fund projects which generate economic and employment opportunities related to primary production value chains.
A sixth round of RED Grants has been allocated for the 2023-24 financial year, with applications now open.
