Wagga in the running to become a 'paddock to plane' export airport

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW, Industry and Trade John Barilaro on Thursday said the state government is looking at ways to get regional produce to international customers more efficiently.

Consultants KPMG have been awarded a tender to complete a pre-feasibility study and will investigate new and existing sites as potential locations for international freight airports.

A recommendation on exactly how many freight airports would be developed will be included in the KPMG study.

The announcement by Mr Barilaro came just a day after Wagga City Council hosted an event to bring together producers and those with expertise in exporting and transport.

Wagga mayor Greg Conkey described the announcement by Mr Barilaro as welcome news.

Councillor Conkey said there were already businesses that regularly exported out of Wagga. Meat processing firm Teys Australia is one of them.

"I think Wagga is ideally placed to become one of these freight export airports," he said.

Wagga's airport is about to undergo a $6m renovation to make improvements to the taxing area, which Cr Conkey said would make it more efficient and safer.

In January, Mr Barilaro announced Wagga's Bomen area would be designated as a "special activation precinct" to make it easier for businesses to set up or expand.

Bomen will also be the location of the long-awaited Riverina Inter-Modal Freight Hub, which Cr Conkey believes could boost Wagga's chances of being named as a location for a freight airport.

Alan Johnston, the CEO of Committee 4 Wagga, said the development of Wagga as an international freight airport would be consistent with Bomen's designation as a special activation precinct and the freight hub.

"I am looking forward to seeing what comes out in the study," he said.

Mr Barilaro said NSW produce such as beef, nuts, citrus, berries and dairy products was world-renowned and "getting product to market as quickly as possible is essential".

"We know that air freight is the fastest, most reliable way to move our high-value, perishable exports and that is why we are investigating air freight options in regional areas, so we can get these products from paddock to plate in international markets quicker and easier," he said.

"International freight airports will not only improve connectivity and get produce to markets faster, but it will also expand customer bases, and ultimately increase profits and viability for our NSW farmers.

"With a shelf life as low as seven days for many perishable products, the current supply chain sees some farmers having to get their produce on a truck to a major airport, and then wait for a timeslot to get the goods on a plane, which can sometimes take days," Mr Barilaro said.

"International freight airports would open up opportunities for regional NSW to access higher value markets, and increase profits on some of the best produce in the world, grown right here in regional NSW," he said.

The KPMG study, funded as part of the $4.2 billion Snowy Hydro Legacy Fund, has just begun and a final report with investment recommendations will be delivered mid-2019, the Deputy Premier said.