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National Food Plan earmarks over $36m to expand food exports

03 Jun 2013

Australia will invest more than $36 million in expanding the nation’s food products and services exports, including $28.5 million to increase the value of food exports to Asia and $2 million to build Australia’s reputation as a quality global food and related technology brand.

The Government has unveiled its National Food Plan, which includes a strategy for a 45 per cent lift to Australia’s $30.5 billion a year food export market by the year 2025.

The plan includes a strategy for building a globally recognised food and related technologies brand for Australia.  The Australian Trade Commission (Austrade) will lead the program, which will involve research and industry consultation, building on the Australia Unlimited brand. It will result in a national food brand that can be used across the sector to benefit from Australia’s food being regarded as safe and of high quality and enhance its reputation as a clean, green, premium product.

The $28.5 million will be invested in the Asian Food Markets Research Fund to tackle roadblocks to export, identify exactly what foods and services Asia needs and wants, and, ultimately, help Australian businesses boost their sales to the region.

“We will work to improve access to export markets,” Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Joe Ludwig said.

“We will build productive and collaborative relationships with our trading partners, work with our industry to tackle barriers to trade, and promote Australia’s brand for food,” he wrote in the forward to the National Food Plan.

Asia’s middle class is forecast to grow six-fold to 3.2 billion over the next 20 years. The forecast bodes well for Australia which produces more than twice the food it consumes and exports high-quality products that are in strong demand around the world.

The export strategy is part of the Government’s $40 million National Food Plan, which aims to ensure Australia has the workforce and research capabilities to secure its place worldwide as a high-quality, safe, innovative and sustainable food, services and technology centre.