WELLINGTON, Aug. 12 (Xinhua) -- The New Zealand government on Friday announced the launch of the country's biggest agri-food research center aimed at increasing its international competitiveness in food production.
The Food Science Research Centre would be a joint project, costing 39 million NZ dollars (28.06 million U.S. dollars), between the government's AgResearch institute and Massey University, said Science and Innovation Minister Steven Joyce.
"The research conducted at the Center will span the agriculture sector from farm to consumer, with a focus on dairy and red meat research," Joyce said.
Construction on the Massey campus in the lower North Island city of Palmerston North was expected to be complete by the end of 2018.
The government would provide 100,000 NZ dollars (72,040 U.S. dollars) to help attract international research and development and connect directly to multinational companies.
The center would be the base for about 140 staff and students and house and train undergraduate and postgraduate students, said Massey University Vice-Chancellor Steve Maharey.
"To conduct world-class science you have to have world-class facilities," he said.
