Green Plus, a smart farm specialist company, announced on June 11 that it held a high-level meeting in Seoul with Tony Perrett, Minister for Agriculture of Queensland, Australia, and senior officials.
This meeting was organized to strengthen strategic cooperation in the field of smart agriculture between the two countries and to expand Green Plus's business in Australia. Green Plus is currently promoting the 'Smart Farm Innovation Valley' and the 'Premium Strawberry Smart Farm Project' through its local subsidiary, Green Plus Australia. During the meeting, participants discussed a wide range of topics, including expanding new smart farm investments in Queensland, collaboration models with local farms and research institutions (such as the Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation at the University of Queensland), and the role of smart farms as a sustainable solution for industrial transition in mining regions.
Attendees from Green Plus included CEO Jung Soontae, Executive Director for International Business Keum Junghyun, and Steve Kim, Head of the Australian subsidiary. On the Australian side, the delegation was led by Minister Tony Perrett, and included Graham Bolton, Director General of the Department of Agriculture, Matt Jensen, Chief Advisor, and Michael Kocken, Head of the Korea Office of Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ).
Green Plus plans to use this meeting as a starting point to actively pursue implementation plans for establishing a manufacturing plant in Australia, technology transfer, and creating local jobs. Through these efforts, the company aims to further strengthen its cooperative relationship with Australia and accelerate the establishment of a Korea-Australia agricultural technology alliance centered on smart farms.
Jung Soontae, CEO of Green Plus, stated, "Queensland has optimal conditions for smart agriculture, including climate, land, water resources, and energy. However, the area of advanced glass greenhouses is only 4 hectares out of a total of 297 hectares nationwide, indicating significant growth potential." He added, "Green Plus will work closely with the Queensland government to gradually realize a comprehensive business model, including the creation of an innovation valley, the establishment of technology and education infrastructure, and R&D cooperation."
During an open discussion, Michael Kocken, Deputy Director of TIQ, commented, "The technology and future-oriented vision demonstrated by Green Plus were very impressive. In particular, the strawberry smart farm project underway in Queensland could become a major turning point for enhancing the sustainability and competitiveness of the horticultural industry." He also expressed his expectation that "this international cooperation model will open up new opportunities for the Queensland agricultural ecosystem," and welcomed the expansion of practical exchanges between the two countries.
The Queensland state government expressed its high regard for Green Plus's technological capabilities and global experience, and stated its full support for the company's expansion in Australia as a key partner in the transition to a smart agriculture industry.
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