Chatham-Kent is ready for a piece of the action when it comes to growth in the agri-sector, according to Mayor Randy Hope.
Canada's Advisory Council on Economic Growth says the agri-sector has great potential for job creation and increasing exports with the goal of moving from 11th in global exporting to fifth by 2027.
Hope says roughly six companies are looking at food processing in Chatham-Kent.
"We've created the infrastructure," he says. "A lot of food processors need water, we have water... and we're ahead of the curve."
He says 74 high quality crops are grown in Chatham-Kent and that will help the local economy.
The mayor hopes that a recently signed memorandum with Peru bears fruit saying "they have a lot of cocoa, coffee, asparagus and fruits that we currently depend on California shipping this way, now if we create that relationship with Peru we can create not just seasonal jobs but [year round] jobs."
"We're poised to be in a position where exporting food throughout the world is going to be key to us," Hope says, adding Canadian food is among the safest in the world and that can't be ignored.