Arafura Pearls Holdings

Arafura Pearls Holdings Ltd (Arafura Pearls) is a public company listed on the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX Code: APB) which produces South Seas Pearls in the Northern Territory's clean, warm seas.

Historically pearling in Australia has been dominated by family-owned and closely held private enterprises such as Paspaley Pearls in Darwin and Kailis Pearls in Western Australia.

Now investors have the opportunity to access this industry, which is the second largest aquacultural activity in Australia, by gross value of production.(ABARE 2003)

South Sea Pearls

The pearling industry is regulated by quota and Arafura now has access to the second largest quota holding in Australia and the largest in the Northern Territory. The company owns and operates the only hatchery in the Northern Territory at Elizabeth Bay with farm operations in the English Company Islands, in north-east Arnhem land.

Measuring a Pearl

Using modern breeding and farming techniques has allowed Arafura to increase it's annual pearl harvest from 7,000 pearls in 2004 to 21,000 in 2006 and forecasts 38000 this year.The quota limit of 220,000 virgin oysters each year is expected to be reached over the next few years.

This is intended as general information only, if you are thinking of investing in the pearl industry, please do your own due diligence on any companies you are interested in.

Read more on the Darwin pearl industry here.