<p>The Victorian Government says it will build a national centre for almond research, if it's re-elected next month. The $12 million Almond Centre of Excellence would be based at the government's Irymple site, south of Mildura. Victorian Agriculture Minister Peter Walsh says the region grows about 70 per cent of Australia's almonds, but the research will benefit the whole industry.</p> <p>"Almonds has obviously grown significantly and the world demand for almonds is very high, particularly into those high population areas, into the subcontinent and India."</p> <p> </p>