Qld Govt collaborates with industry to increase exports

The Queensland Government is teaming up with industry to increase exports of Shepard avocados, value-added avocados, macadamias, mangoes, melons, persimmons, coral trout and grain-fed beef to international markets.

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said, “Growing our international trade is critical to the future prosperity of our agriculture, fishing and forestry industries and regional communities.”

The Food and Fibre to Market: Industry Partnerships Program (FF2M) will provide $600,000 to eight industry partners to co-fund supply chain and market development projects totalling $1.7 million, targeting markets including Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, India and the United States.

The projects seek to strengthen and deepen the knowledge and expertise of Queensland’s agricultural supply chain partners — growers, exporters, importers and retailers. Avocados Australia, an FF2M recipient, will receive $100,000 towards further developing its Shepard avocado supply chains to Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore. With growing demand in Asia for Queensland’s green-skin avocados, consumer research, educational workshops for important and new marketing resources will be utilised.

“99% of Shepard avocados are grown in Queensland. Our domestic market is strong and secure, which means that Avocados Australia can ramp up its efforts to promote high-quality Shepard avocados to our closest neighbours,” said John Tyas, CEO, Avocados Australia.

“The increased marketing and brand awareness activities supported by the Queensland Government, combined with the growing Asian consumer-demand for Shepards and the success of sea freight, means that Shepard avocado exports could potentially grow by another 15% in the next few years.”

The project will provide further stimulus to the Australian avocado industry’s broader international export program over the next two years, including funding from Hort Innovation and contributions from the Australian Government through the “Avocado market access and trade development” project.

The other seven FF2M projects are with:

• Austchilli in Bundaberg and its grower partners: to undertake a promotional program designed to increase exports of value-added AvoFresh products to Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
• Australian Macadamia Society: to develop and implement an Australian Macadamia Festival in India.
• Australian Mango Industry Association: to further develop mango industry supply chains to the United States by improving growers’ export capability.
• North Queensland’s Daintree Fresh and its supply chain partners: to trial Emperor’s Pearl melon for the Japanese market.
• Persimmons Australia: to map supply chains and undertake trial shipments of persimmons to Southeast Asian markets and build growers’ export capability.
• Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise: in partnership with Meat and Livestock Australia to increase Queensland’s market share of grain-fed beef in the United States.
• Tropical Agri Food Industry Network: in partnership with the Australian Reef Fish Trading Company to develop fresh and frozen coral trout products and create a brand development strategy for new international markets.

Image credit: iStock.com/Milan Krasula