Around 300 tonnes of chilled lamb from Western Australia will be flown to the Middle East during the next eight weeks under the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM).  The Middle East is Australia’s biggest air freight lamb and mutton customer, buying nearly all of the 62,223 tonnes flown to international markets last year.

Based in Tammin, 180 kilometres east of Perth, Great Eastern Abattoir has secured IFAM flights to send fresh lamb to the Middle East. It's the first time in about three months that the company has been able to air freight product out of Perth. Jacques Davis, Director, says the IFAM flights mean he can continue production and save the jobs of 45 staff.

Further information on how IFAM works is available on the IFAM webpage.   IFAM supported flights are departing Perth regularly, and businesses should contact their freight forwarders to understand schedules and options for support.  More… Source:  IFAM  |  Photo:  Australian Aviation 

Join Professor David Hughes and the Food Industry Innovation team at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development  in this online event to hear how global food systems and consumer mega-trends are responding to the impact of COVID-19.

Professor David Hughes – a pre-eminent global food industry expert – will present an overview on evolving global industry trends and inspiring ways to shape your business to changing consumer and retail demands.

Taking place next Thursday 4 June 2020 at 4 pm AWST, key topics will include: How has the global food system responded to COVID-19 and what are the immediate risks?  Are pre-COVID-19 consumer mega-trends still relevant and what are the new ones that could create havoc or opportunities? Is your business purpose still in sync with your customers and with consumers? How have supply chain relationships between businesses from agri-input companies through to food retailers and food service changed?

For further information, please contact Nikki Poulish on 0417 921 184 or email FoodIndustryInnovation@dpird.wa.gov.au.  More...  Source & Graphic:  DPIRD

Waroona-based Capogreco Farms has received a $210,000 grant to install a state-of-the-art rapid cooling system under the first round of the Western Australian Government’s Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants program.

The cold storage expansion enables a prolonged shelf life and quality of fruit for Japanese customers, and has created a facility that can also be used by other businesses in regional WA. 

Export produce can be cooled to its most beneficial temperature, maximising shelf life while sustaining this temperature throughout the receiving and dispatch process.

Applications are now open for round three of the RED Grants program, with more information available online.  More…  Source: WA Minister for Regional Development  |  Photo:  Peel Development Commission [L-R: Robyn Clarke MLA, Minister Alannah MacTiernan MLC, Dane Capogreco]

Federal Department of Home Affairs data shows 34 per cent of working holiday makers (WHM) have left Australia since March, resulting in a potential impact on the WA agrifood sector's ability to access suitable workers into spring and summer.

To support the sector, the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has funded an employment matching platform to provide job matching services to WA agrifood employers, recruitment agencies and labour hire companies.

Launched on 14 April 2020, this recruitment platform and personalised employment matching service allows employers to access registered job seekers – including temporary visa holders – from across regional WA.  A geo-targeted social media campaign was launched in late April 2020 resulting in over 2,000 job seeker registrations across WA.

The platform enables employers to search for both skilled and/or experienced workers, as well as unskilled staff.  DPIRD has funded this service for six months to enable all employers and industry groups to access the service.

Employers can reach out directly to Studium chief executive officer Stuart Scott, email stuart.scott@studium.work, mobile 0421 411 641.  More…  Source & Photo: DPIRD

A new research report released by the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) is shining light on the importance of sustainability and social responsibility as drivers for new market access, community engagement and expanding sales pipelines.

The research surveyed 33 stakeholders across seven commercial fisheries in Western Australia and one Commonwealth fishery to understand the core drivers and impacts that MSC certification has provided to them.

Of the 80 drivers surveyed, the top three were: validated sustainability credentials and social license (such as being world leaders); economic incentives such as new market access; and the availability of government support equal with improved management outcomes.

WA's rock lobster fishery gained status as the world’s first MSC-certified fishery and has since been joined by nine other WA fisheries, with octopus and sea cucumber achieving MSC certification in late-2019.  More…  Source: WAFIC / MSC / PLOS ONE  |  Related: Award-winning Geraldton producers improve region's reputation as seafood hotspot  Source: ABC News  |  Photo:  WAFIC / Justin Small

Economic results for April showed China’s industrial economy rebounding but consumer spending only slowly recovering.  The fall in both producer and consumer price inflation indicates demand across the economy remains weak and is recovering more slowly than output.

A recent Export Update from Wine Australia shows the value of Australian wine exports globally grew by 3 per cent year-on-year to 30 April 2020. However, Australian wine imported by mainland China year-on-year to 31 March 2020 declined by 14 per cent by value and 8 per cent by volume.

There is increasing interest in opportunities for plant-based proteins due to food security concerns and the prevalence of lactose intolerance among Chinese consumers.  More…  Source: Austrade / Wine Australia  |  Photo:  WA Agrifood Export eNews

Prior to COVID-19, potential export trade access restrictions have been raised as concerns by some Western Australian seafood exporters. 

It is very important that any form of overt or potential barrier to trade, any market access issues for WA seafood are recorded by the Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC) and copied to the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). 

These issues are then referred by WAFIC to the peak national seafood body Seafood Industry Australia, and as necessary by DPIRD to the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

Such restrictions may come about by the request for additional – previously not required – certifications, ongoing regular delays in product clearance, anything that may be deemed a detriment or imposition to your usual export activities. If you are exporting via a third-party it would be greatly appreciated if you could please pass this request to them for their attention.

This covers seafood market access issues for all countries, but does not cover current COVID-19-related air freight or other related issues.

Please provide your feedback to Mannie Shea at WAFIC on 0452 070 037, or email eora@wafic.org.au.  Source:  Mannie Shea, WAFIC  |  Photo:  WAFIC

In this recent webinar, Austrade’s Chief Economist, Heather Cotching – as well as Senior Trade Commissioners from across the ASEAN region – discussed global economic conditions and regional trends.

Topics included: consumer behaviour and e-commerce; supply chains and connectivity; timing and pace of recovery; and market and sector priorities. 

Ms Cotching said that despite the International Monetary Fund predicting global growth to decline by around 3 per cent this year, many ASEAN countries – including Vietnam, Myanmar, Brunei, Philippines and Indonesia – are still forecasting economic growth.

“Right now the ASEAN region has 7.4 million households that have disposable income of more than US$35,000 per year, but over the next decade, that’s going to more than triple to 25 million households with that level of disposable income,” she said.

“That’s a real opportunity to think about what might those consumers want.”  More…  Source:  Austrade / IMF  |  Photo: Austrade

Australia’s agricultural export legislation is being improved as part of a wider initiative to strengthen Australian agricultural exports and market access.

The improvements will make the laws more relevant, responsive and efficient. They will continue to provide the same level of regulatory oversight, remove duplication and ensure consistency across commodities where possible. This will help exporters, farmers and other primary producers.

Feedback can be provided until 19 June 2020 on the Consultation Draft Export Control (Plants and Plant Products) Rules 2020.  The draft plant rules set out the operational details about how exports of plants and plant products will be regulated. The draft rules will replace the existing regulations and orders.

An information session to discuss the draft plant rules is scheduled for Friday 5 June 2020 from 7.30 am until 9 am AWST.  Email exportlegislation@agriculture.gov.au to register your interest in participating. This session is limited to 25 participants, but further sessions will be arranged, if enough interest.  More…  Source: DAWE  |  Related:  Related: Australian farmers some of the least subsidised in the world Source: ABARES |  Australian whole grain wheat has advantage in Asia Source: AEGIC  |  Photo:  DPIRD

COVID-19 has disrupted usual patterns of business.  This webinar next Tuesday 2 June 2020 at 3 pm AWST is an opportunity for Australian businesses to hear from experts about how they can stay informed and up-to-date about the changing business landscape and to prepare and engage with Asia.

This series provides an opportunity to: gain insight on country specific trends, issues and potential opportunities; and network with experts and other business leaders

In the report An India Economic Strategy To 2035 to the Australian Government, Peter Varghese AO states it is an ambitious plan to transform Australia's economic partnership with India.

With more growth opportunities for Australian businesses than any other market, Australian exports to India could grow from $14.9 billion in 2017 to around $45 billion by 2035.

This event will provide expert insights into the India Economic Strategy including progress to date, untapped opportunities and the impact of COVID-19; and business models used by US, European and Asian multinationals to enter and succeed in India and what Australian corporates can learn from their successes.  More…  Source: Asialink Business  |  Photo:  Mumbai / Pixabay

The volume of world merchandise trade is likely to fall precipitously in the first half of 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic disrupts the global economy, according to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) Goods Trade Barometer released on 20 May 2020.

The index currently stands at 87.6, far below the baseline value of 100, suggesting a sharp contraction in world trade extending into the second quarter.  This is the lowest value on record since the indicator was launched in July 2016.

World trade was already slowing in 2019 before the COVID-19 outbreak. WTO trade statistics show the volume of world merchandise trade shrank by 0.1 per cent in 2019, marking the first annual decline since 2009, during the global financial crisis.  More…  Source: WTO  |  Related:  COVID-19 worsens pre-existing financial vulnerabilities  Source:  WTO | Trade must form part of solution in assisting and supporting developing countries  Source: WTO  |  Photo:  Port of Rotterdam