Australian speciality food and beverage product makers are looking to make their mark in America during the next two weeks, as more than 25 companies showcase over 70 products across Manhattan, during G’Day USA: Australia Week. “This annual boutique supermarket promotion builds on the success of the past seven years and demonstrates the ongoing demand for quality Australian specialty and gourmet food and wines,” Austrade’s Regional Director for the Americas, Grame Barty, advised. “Key... ...Read more »

G’Day USA: Australia Week 2010 has begun with events for a wide range of sectors being held in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and San Diego. Now in its seventh year, the celebration of all things Australian remains the largest foreign country promotion held annually in the United States. Austrade’s Regional Director for the Americas, Grame Barty, said the 2010 program “will again demonstrate Australia as an innovative, sophisticated economy with leading edge research technology,... ...Read more »

China is anticipated to have reaped lower growth rates in food exports this year in the wake of last year’s melamine scandal but it is unlikely to dent their future as a world leading food supplier. The world’s most populous country is a net exporter of food and drink, with exports in volume terms worth between 25 million and 30 million tonnes. By value, exports were worth just over US$31bn (A$33.2b) in 2008. Whilst the most significant overseas markets for the Chinese food and drinks... ...Read more »

The Federal Government is funding a new round of industry visits to China to help promote Australian agriculture to our second largest export market. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the Government would fund six industry visits to China in 2010 and 2011, under the Australia-China Agricultural Cooperation Agreement. Under the program, which has been running for more than two decades, delegates from Australia visit China, and vice versa, to help build closer commercial... ...Read more »

New figures show that Western Australia exported a record $6 billion worth of food and agricultural commodities in the last financial year despite a deterioration in global markets. WA Agriculture and Food Minister Terry Redman said growing demand for WA products from the Middle East and Asia had seen exports easily exceed the previous year’s record $4.7 billion. “The value of our agrifood exports grew 28 per cent in 2008-09. This is a real testament to the strength of our industries... ...Read more »

Minister for Trade Simon Crean today announced the make-up of the business Advisory Panel to the Building Brand Australia project, with two the country’s leading players in the FMCG sector joining forces. Michael Luscombe, CEO of Woolworths – the nation’s largest supermarket chain and Rob Murray, Chief Executive of dairy, juice and alcohol group Lion Nathan National Foods, will be on a six-member board to be chaired by eminent businessman David Mortimer. Mr Crean said he was delighted... ...Read more »

The Victorian Government has earmarked Singapore and Malaysia as key centres for Australian export opportunities in the coming decade. Tim Dillon, the Victorian Government’s Trade Commissioner for South East Asia, said that new trade opportunities will begin to emerge in these regions as both Singapore and Malaysia invest heavily in industry development initiatives and local business. The recent signing of the ASEAN free trade agreement with Australia will also open up new opportunities between... ...Read more »

The Federal Government has announced funding of $6.4 million to help 15 regional businesses boost innovation in Australia’s food industry, for both domestic and export markets.Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke said the funding was under the first round of the Regional Food Producers Innovation and Productivity Program. The Government suggests the program will help support regional jobs and regional economies through new technology and productivity improvements. The... ...Read more »

The European Commission has released a report highlighting the scale of US trade barriers that impede EU food exports to the country.Brussels and Washington have been discussing outstanding tariff, subsidy and bureaucratic problems through the Transatlantic Economic Council. However, a new Commission-published US Barriers to Trade and Investment Report for 2008 stressed: “There still exist trade barriers and differences that hinder trade and investment.” The food trade is more widely... ...Read more »

A leading international expert on the global food industry has told a conference in Brisbane this week that the future for Australian food exports is strong as long as we can build on our ‘beer and vegemite’ image. Speaking at the National Farmers’ Federation congress, Professor David Hughes said Australia’s position as a low-cost producer had evaporated but the high quality of our food presented an alternative marketing proposition. “What you need is customers with... ...Read more »