Australia’s international border closure has stimulated an innovative way of marketing Western Australian wine to key market customers.  The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has overcome international transit restrictions by hosting an online virtual wine master class with a group of 22 wine industry professionals from Tokyo this recently.

The 90-minute video conferencing service tasting was a pilot initiative, supported by the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Austrade Tradestart advisers from the Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA and the South West Development Commission.  DPIRD Primary Industries Trade Manager, I-Lyn Loo, said it was the first time a virtual international marketing strategy of this type had been used by DPIRD to engage with export markets.

“The COVID-19 movement restrictions have created the opportunity to explore fresh approaches to capturing market attention,” Ms Loo said.  “The Japanese wine industry were intrigued by the concept of a virtual master class from the start and were more than happy to participate in the online gathering.  They provided great feedback on the concept, which we will use to refine the process so it can be extended to other markets and products.”

Two Margaret River chardonnays, Woodlands and McHenry Hohnen, were featured in the master class for participants to sample and discuss.  More...  Source & Photo:  DPIRD [I-Lyn Loo, Manager, Primary Industries Trade, DPIRD]

Last year, Western Australia’s wine exports were valued at $58.7 million and 10.05 million litres were exported globally, with the United Kingdom – WA’s second top wine export destination – buying $6.8 million of the State's premium wines.

The Government of Western Australia has an international trade office in London which facilitates bilateral trade between WA and Europe and UK. The office takes every chance to promote WA wineries which are already in the market to showcase their beautiful wines to a curious European and British audience. 

Each autumn the office hosts Western Australian Wine Tasting where Londoners pour into Australia House, swapping their umbrella with a glass, to sip on some of the 100 premium wines up for tasting. In 2019, 80 guests, encompassing UK media, sommeliers, importers and educators, attended the trade part of the tasting. The consumer part of the event, held in the evening, attracted almost 200 wine aficionados.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the 2020 event was cancelled, however wine trade manager Sally Janssen quickly adapted. In April and May she launched two successful digital wine campaigns to the UK market.  By teaming up with a number of UK distributors she made sure that during lockdown premium WA wines were safely delivered to the doorstep of British homes. 

An encouraging development has been the increase of Australian wine exports to Germany, Netherlands and Sweden since the advent of the pandemic.  According to Wine Australia, in the three months ending May 2020, the value of Australian wine exports to Sweden increased 26 per cent.

The office can assist with your expansion into the UK and Europe by facilitating introductions, hosting tastings and providing advice on the overall planning of your expansion in these markets.

WA Agent General Mike Deeks CSC welcomes trade enquiries from WA wineries, so please feel free to reach out via agent_general@wago.co.uk.  For more information, please visit www.wago.co.uk or go to Twitter @wagoEU.  For general enquiries, connect with the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation Invest and Trade team or the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.  Source & Photo:  WAGO  

The International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) is supporting new flights from Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur via Perth with Qatar, and Melbourne to Los Angeles return with Virgin Australia.  These flights will operate for six weeks and commence next week. 

New outbound flights operating for six weeks:  Melbourne to Kuala Lumpur via Perth with Qatar (Tuesdays and Fridays commencing 30 June 2020); Melbourne to Los Angeles with Virgin (Wednesdays commencing 1 July 2020). 

New and extended inbound flights operating for six weeks: Los Angeles to Melbourne with Virgin (Wednesdays commencing 1 July 2020); Los Angeles to Melbourne with Virgin (Saturdays extended commencing 4 July 2020).

For full details, please see the IFAM outbound flight schedule, and the IFAM inbound flight schedule on the IFAM webpage. 

If you have any questions or need more information, please email IFAM@austrade.gov.au, or Austrade State Director WA, Jane Caforio, on jane.caforio@austrade.gov.au.  More…  Source: IFAM  |  Photo:  Qatar Airways / Airbus

The Federal Government has provided $4 million to Seafood Industry Australia (SIA) for a national marketing campaign to promote Australian seafood to the nation, and support the industry's recovery post COVID-19.  SIA Interim Chief Executive Officer Veronica Papacosta said the campaign will support the industry’s recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic.

“This funding will allow the Australian seafood industry to deliver a 12-month national awareness program designed to provide a much needed boost to the Australian seafood industry, and the supply chain that supports it including retailers and foodservice, as we recover from the impacts of COVID-19,” Ms Papacosta said.  “Australian seafood is iconic, but it is not yet a brand. This campaign represents the industry’s move to establish Australian Seafood as a brand in its own right, and we couldn’t be any more excited to promote Australian seafood, to Australian consumers.”

She said a national approach to marketing has been a long time coming, and it will be our job to ensure a united approach remains a focus for industry moving forward.  “Australian seafood is the best in the world, our commercial fisheries are global leaders in sustainability and it’s time we celebrated an undisputed national icon,” Ms Papacosta said.  More…  Source: SIA  |   Related: Creative seafood to get through economic slowdown  Source: The Rural news  | SA seafood industry looks for new markets after COVID-19  Source: FiskerForum  | Photo:  Paula Kalinowski  / DPIRD

Austrade Japan’s Food and Agribusiness team and the Western Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry's International Trade and Investment Centre jointly delivered a virtual market briefing to 20 WA companies who had planned to attend Foodex 2020. This is the largest annual food and beverage (F&B) trade show in Japan, but it was cancelled in March due to COVID-19.

These WA companies are all major F&B producers, supplying a wide range of meats, seafood, horticulture, packaged foods and alcoholic beverages.

The briefing covered a number of topics, including an overview of the impact COVID-19 has had on food service and retail sectors in Japan, market updates and opportunities, as well as new innovations in the F&B space in the face of ‘new normal’ market conditions.  More...  Source:  Austrade  |  Photo:  DPIRD

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE) has received advice from exporters that the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC) is seeking declarations, in the form of a Letter of Guarantee, that imported food and edible agricultural products comply with China’s laws, regulations and standards, and with the World Health Organisation (WHO) and Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) advice on COVID-19 and food safety: guidance for food businesses.

The Letter of Guarantee requires export establishments to take all necessary measures to eliminate food safety risks and protect consumer health and safety if cases or suspected cases of COVID-19 are detected at the establishment.  This request is not specific to Australia.  DAWE is responding promptly to GACC, consistent with previous assurances, noting the advice of the WHO, that transmission through food is highly unlikely and there is no evidence of this occurring with COVID-19 globally to date.

The Australian Government has advised GACC that: the controls of Australia’s robust food export system ensures food exported from Australia remains safe during the COVID-19 pandemic; given Australian food standards and practices are already in alignment with the WHO, DAWE considers that Australian Government certification provides the necessary assurances of food safety including during the COVID-19 pandemic.  This assurance from the competent authority covers facilities that are exporting to the People’s Republic of China.

On this basis, DAWE considers that individual facility declarations are not required.  Where exporters make a commercial decision to provide a statement to facilitate clearance in China, they should draw on information provided in this Industry Advice Notice to inform the content of their statement.  For further information, please contact exportstandards@awe.gov.au or call 1800 900 090.  More…  Related:  China: Fish: Border measures – Letter of Guarantee  |  Source: DAWE / WHO  |  Related: Australian food products now require proof of virus-free status before entering China  Source: ABC News  |  Photo:  DPIRD

The first consignment of Australian oranges were shipped to Korea this week, Austrade says in its latest market insight. The consignments will be sold in Homeplus (hypermarkets) and CU (convenient stores) from the first week of July. The seasonal tariff for Australian oranges was eliminated this year.

There is increased demand for Australian brussels sprouts even at prices that are 30 to 50 per cent as a result of high air freight costs.

Monthly trade data from the Korea Customs Service shows significant increases in imports of Australian cocoa (up 655 per cent) and edible fruit and nuts (up 199 per cent). Meat showed growth for the first time this year (up 6 per cent).  More…  Source: Austrade / DFAT  |  Photo:  DPIRD

With a large consumer base of different income levels, China’s food industry is a diversified and ideal marketplace of opportunities.  From new ingredients, new processing to new distribution and promotion, the entire food industry is evolving with dynamics alongside the day-to-day supply chain.

This webinar on 17 July 2020 at 11 am AWST will give Australian companies an understanding of the new segments and novel food trends in a rapidly changing Chinese market. It will also aim to give insights into China’s research institutes which are capable of providing the research and development support to commercial companies’ food innovations.  It will cover: Chinese consumer preferences; new trends and industry hotspots in China's food sector; and future opportunities for food outbreaks in China.  More…  Source: Austrade  |  Photo:  WA Agrifood Export eNews

Following the postponement this year due to COVID-19, the World Fisheries Congress (WFC) will be held from the 20 to 24 September 2021 in Adelaide.

With the theme Sharing our oceans and rivers – a vision for the world’s fisheries, WFC will bring together research, industry, and management to discuss the sustainable development of the world’s oceans, lakes, estuaries and rivers.

Previously submitted abstracts will remain valid and, at a later date to be announced, abstracts will be able to be updated, confirmed or withdrawn.  More…  Source: WFC   |  Photo:  DPIRD

Wine Intelligence Chief Executive Officer Lulie Halstead will present findings from the latest Wine Intelligence COVID-19 impact reports for South Korea, China and Japan in a webinar next month.  Based on data collected in late March and April 2020, she will review how wine consumers’ behaviours and attitudes have changed – or not – as a result of the impact of COVID-19.

In this online event on 2 July 2020 at 2.30 pm AWST, Ms Halstead will review how consumers anticipate their lifestyles, behaviour and drinking habits will both change and be prioritised post lockdown. She will share insights on what wine businesses can proactively do to build for the future.  More…  Source: Wine Australia  |  Photo:  DPIRD

Applications are now open for the accreditation of farms and packhouses, and the registration of treatment facilities, to export summerfruits to protocol markets for the 2020–21 season.  Summerfruit farm and packhouse managers wanting to export to China, Taiwan and Thailand can complete their application forms through the Summerfruit Australia export registration system by 5 pm AEST 13 July 2020.

All information in the application (for example, ABN numbers, contact details, accredited property maps and addresses) must be complete and correct or the application may not be accepted.  Farms and packhouses will be subject to audits by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (DAWE).

If you have any questions regarding the summerfruit export registration system, please email Summerfruit Australia.  Questions regarding this Industry Advice Notice, should go to DAWE's Horticulture Exports Program.  More…  Source: DAWE  |  Photo:  DPIRD

Assuming the COVID-19 outbreak remains under control and activity recovers later this year, China's economic growth is projected to slow to 1 per cent in 2020 — by far the lowest growth it has registered in more than four decades — the World Bank says in a new report.

It says the pandemic is expected to plunge a majority of countries into recession this year, with per capita output contracting in the largest fraction of countries since 1870.  In the first global recession since 1870 to be triggered solely by a pandemic, the global economy is projected to shrink by 5.2 per cent and advanced economies by 7 per cent in 2020, as widespread social-distancing measures, a sharp tightening of financial conditions, and a collapse in external demand depress activity.

In its baseline assessment, the World Bank suggests a recovery would get under way in the second half of 2020 once lockdowns and other restrictions are gradually unwound; however, despite large-scale fiscal and monetary policy support, this recovery would be hesitant.  Even as employment picks up, households would only slowly increase consumption — particularly when it requires social interaction — amid concerns of possible infection. Firms would hold back on increasing investment until they are confident about a vigorous rebound. 

Despite lingering social-distancing practices, the lifting of control measures by the end of 2020 would set the stage for a rebound in global growth in 2021.  More...  Source:  World Bank  |  Related:  Reopening from the great lockdown: uneven and uncertain recovery  Source: IMF  |  Photo:  World Bank

The multilateral trading system will continue to face challenges in limiting the harm to trade and the global economy resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, World Trade Organisation Deputy Director-General Alan Wolff said last week.  Speaking at a Think20 virtual panel on Policy Recommendations for a Post-COVID-19 World, Mr Wolff said two system imperatives deserve attention: strengthening trade rules that are least prescriptive, and acting collectively where needed.

“Fortunately, the number autonomous trade liberalising measures introduced by individual [WTO] Members, both in terms of removing tariffs and easing entry for critical supplies, have outnumbered export restrictions,” Mr Wolff said.  “In addition, export restrictions on food have already in many cases been rolled back and terminated.”

He said that for recovery from COVID-19, one identifiable way in which the multilateral trading system can contribute is through consideration being given to lowering the costs of trade by lowering tariffs and other impediments to trade broadly.  “The WTO is about promoting global well-being and that includes development," Mr Wolff said.  “Growing international trade can benefit all nations.”  More…  Related:  Trade falls steeply in first half of 2020 - unlikely to reach April worst-case scenario projection  |  Source & Photo: WTO