Australian horticulture must position itself as a supplier of high-quality produce that attract premium prices to be competitive both domestically and abroad, according to a recently-released industry report. The Global Focus report Australian Horticulture - fresh fruit and vegetables, by specialist agribusiness lender Rabobank, notes, “Australian horticulture cannot build its competitive advantage on cost leadership due to increased competition from low-cost producers who don’t face... ...Read more »
This year’s WA Industry and Export Awards has recognised a number of companies in the food industry, including Craig Mostyn Group which claimed a place in the Hall of Fame. The diversified food, agribusiness and logistics company, which serves customers and suppliers in over 60 countries, also claimed the Aribusiness Export Award. The WA Industry and Export Awards, now celebrating its 20-year anniversary, featured 15 industry and export categories. All the State’s export category winners... ...Read more »
An Australian Certified Organic (ACO) meat producer has become the first in the world to comply with Japan’s new organic livestock standard. Matt O’Leary, beef producer from Australian Organic Meats in NSW has out-stripped Japan’s own farmers to become the first meat supplier ever to match the stringent criteria of the recently developed Japanese Agriculture Standard (JAS) for livestock. “I’m pretty pleased - and a bit surprised,” Mr O’Leary admitted.... ...Read more »
A new campaign has been launched to help take Queensland produce to the world, the state’s Primary Industries and Fisheries Minister Tim Mulherin has reported.Mr Mulherin noted the state’s exporters had reaped rewards via the Asian Markets for Horticulture Initiative (AMHI) and suggests the next strategy will be bolder than the last. “Now we are going bigger with a new campaign - the Global Markets Initiative - that will promote a range of producers not just horticulture and it... ...Read more »
A leading academic and legal expert on food believes there is a growing body of evidence to indicate that the concept of “food miles” is badly flawed and might well breach Australia’s free trade obligations if ever it was introduced as a mandatory labelling requirement nationwide. Joe Lederman, Managing Principal of FoodLegal and Adjunct Professor of Food Law at Deakin University, advised that a growing number of supermarkets and restaurants in the UK were promoting the... ...Read more »
Australia can play an important role in meeting Malaysia’s food consumption and demand for food processing inputs, according to a new ABARE report.The report, ‘Changing food consumption and imports in Malaysia: Opportunities for Australian agricultural exports’ was released today by Phillip Glyde, Executive Director of ABARE. “With continued income and population growth, Malaysian food consumption is shifting away from starchy staples such as rice and cassava and more toward... ...Read more »
Australian farmers’ capacity to boost global food security has topped the agenda in talks between the UN food agency chief and the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Tony Burke. Mr Burke and United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) Director-General Dr Jacques Diouf met in Canberra on Wednesday. “Australia’s advanced agriculture sector and our position as a major agricultural exporter give us a box seat to be part of the solution to the food... ...Read more »
In the midst of an escalating global food crisis - precipitating riots in several countries - the National Farmers Federation (NFF) has outlined their worries about the “knee-jerk leap” to trade distorting policies by foreign governments. The NFF, peak industry body for Australian farmers, believe the decisions taken are simply misguided attempts to reduce domestic prices. “In response to high food prices, some Governments have counteracted with short-sighted policies to restrict... ...Read more »