Stone fruit producers in the Victorian Mallee are praying rain will stay away after showers last week destroyed fruit on the cusp of being harvested. Parts of the Mallee are in a one in 20 year rainfall deficiency, but producers say rain at this time of year will do more harm than good. Stone fruit… Read more »
AUSTRALIA’S agricultural outputs and food products are in strong demand overseas, particularly in Asia where a rapidly growing middle class is outpacing food production capability. With our high quality and high volume production, Australia is well placed to meet this demand. South Korea is one such growing market for Australian agricultural exports. South Korea offers… Read more »
Australian vegetable exporters to Japan are reaping early gains since the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) entered into force on 15 January 2015. JAEPA eliminates or reduces barriers to trade in goods between Japan and Australia, including tariff eliminations or reductions that have been a key impediment until now. Recognised as the most liberalising trade… Read more »
The national commodity forecaster is tipping Indonesia’s agrifood imports to increase 20-fold by 2050, to be worth US$150 billion. That represents a significant opportunity for Australian exporters, who already send large amounts of wheat, live cattle, sugar and other products to Indonesia each year. But booming demand for high-protein, high-quality food for an increasingly urbanised… Read more »
Fiji’s agriculture sector will receive about US$35 million in 2016 as part of the country’s budget announced by the finance minister today. That is an increase from US$30 million in the 2015 budget. Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum says agriculture is the backbone of Fiji’s economy, accounting for about 9.3 percent of GDP and it’s at the core… Read more »
Cherry growers are gearing up to begin harvest this week for what’s expected to be one of their biggest crops. But despite the forecast bumper crop, growers are disappointed that opportunities to export their cherries are limited. No progress has been made on reopening key Asian markets and there’s an embargo on sending fruit to… Read more »
The target is to cover 5,000 hectares with financial assistance from Rashtriya Krishi Vikash Yojana (RKVY) . “Since about 68% of the farming community is small and marginal in the State and most of them are unable to procure seed potatoes as per their requirement due to non-availability of adequate funds, it has been proposed… Read more »
China’s growing demand for fresh food imported from Europe will require an investment in cold supply chains throughout the main route. There is an expected 17% increase in demand for imported meat, dairy, fruit and vegetables to China in 2015-2025. The Yu’Xin’Ou railway which connects Chongqing to Rotterdam by rail is a new route for… Read more »
The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement is the most ambitious trade agreement China has concluded with any developed country, and promises a big boost for jobs and prosperity in Australia, writes Senator Richard Colbeck. The China-Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA) is an historic step forward in Australia’s economic relationship with China and unlocks significant opportunities with… Read more »
As the world population continues to grow, Australia could capitalise on organic export markets, says Bond University sustainability professor Tor Hundloe. He has been investigating Australia’s role in feeding the world, with the global population predicted to hit 9.7 billion in 2050. Through his most recent research he discovered Australia had the most organically farmed… Read more »
It is a time of uncertainty for Australian fruit and vegetable growers as the wait to find out how much they will be charged for export certification and biosecurity service has been moved by the federal government from November 1 to December 1 this year. However, the final cost-recovery implementation statements for biosecurity and export… Read more »
New fee system for biosecurity and certification will now be implemented in December Small-scale Australian horticultural producers and exporters could feel the pinch from a proposed restructure of the country’s export certification and biosecurity costs, according to David Minnis, chairman of the Australian Horticulture Exporters Association. The Australian Government has moved the start date for the… Read more »
A free-trade agreement between China and Australia will be in place before the end of the year after the Australian opposition dropped its objections to the plan following lengthy negotiations. The deal will now be approved by the Australian Parliament with the support of the centre-left Labor Party, whose misgivings had held up its passage… Read more »
New Delhi: The Indian Government has announced importing another 3,000 tonnes of food-grain due to acute shortage of pluses that has increased prices around 15% in the country. A high-level meeting chaired by federal government Cabinet Secretary P K Sinha and secretaries of consumer affairs, agriculture and commerce ministries took the decision to import additional… Read more »
Australian apple growers are congratulating Federal Minister for Agriculture Barnaby Joyce on his decision to endorse International Eat an Apple a Day. “If the majority of Australians were to eat an Australian grown apple on ‘international eat an apple day’ then our industry would likely seen an instant impact from that,” said Baden Ribbon, Sales… Read more »
NEW DELHI: India is looking at the Chinese market to push its new variety of custard apple (Sharifa or Sitaphal) which despite being quite high on nutritional value and having a higher shelf life compared to the traditional variety could not become a popular export earlier. India had requested China to give export clearance to… Read more »
The Australian Food and Grocery Council’s (AFGC) annual ‘state of the industry report’ says a nearly 30 per cent increase in food exports was largely driven by high demand for Australian beef. AFGC chief executive, Gary Dawson said a more favourable exchange rate has been an enormous help for exporters, but the opening up of… Read more »
A Federal Government inquiry has urged the Departments of Agriculture and Trade to involve the horticulture industry in opening up doors to increase export trade. The report on the inquiry into business use of Free Trade Agreements has been tabled in Federal Parliament making 14 recommendations. It says “the Department of Agriculture should continue negotiating with trading… Read more »
