Asia Business Capability Workshops support Western Australian small and medium enterprises to build awareness, cultural knowledge and skills to capture trade opportunities with priority Asian markets.  These free workshops will be held 17 to 20 May 2021 as below:

Asia business capability with Dr Sandy Chong – 17 May, 9 am to 1 pm or 19 May, 9 am to 1 pm
Learn the fundamentals in business and social etiquette developing skills in communicating across cultures. This workshop will provide you with the knowledge to adapt to different management and working styles, while arming you with strategies for business negations.

Doing business in Indonesia with Dr Hendro Fujiono – 18 May, 9 am to 1 pm
Gain an overview of setting up a business in Indonesia and learn to identify business opportunities. This workshop will walk you through how to build a local presence, give you practical tips on communicating with local partners and an understanding of the latest permit processes.

Asia consumers and markets with Ian Thubron – 20 May, 9 am to 1 pm
Develop an understanding of the latest consumer behaviour trends in the Asian region and learn how conduct consumer research and targeted marketing strategies. In this workshop you will gain a thorough understanding of the Asian market and how to make an impact.

Held at the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation, Level 11, 1 William Street, Perth, the workshops will be limited to 20 people per session to ensure a COVID-safe environment.  Registrations close 5 pm AWST on 23 April 2021.  Source and Photo:  JTSI

The Australian Government has partnered with the Export Council of Australia to present a six-part Global Market Insights series.

The next session on 29 April 2021 at 1 pm AWST will focus on United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, and South Africa.

The UAE will be hosting the World Expo in Dubai in October 2021 to March 2022. As a logistics hub, and with stable economic performance, the UAE is a place to invest and a base to do business in the region.

Saudi Arabia is the largest economy in the Middle East. It has focused on making business easier, including through major reforms on contracts, business and labour laws, and the financial system.

South Africa is an important trading partner of Australia. It is considered the gateway to Africa, with excellent transport and telecommunications infrastructure, and a highly developed financial system.

Join experts from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade, the Export Council of Australia and the private sector to gain their insights on doing business in these Middle Eastern and African markets.  Source:  Austrade  |  Photo:  Matthias Mullie / Unsplash [Cape Town, South Africa]

The first ever Pinot Picnic will take place next week from 22 to 25 April throughout the Southern Forests & Valleys, in Manjimup and Pemberton, Western Australia.  A series of pop-up, pinot-inspired events will celebrate the finest local produce paired with the region’s renowned pinot wines – from pinot sparkling through to pinot rosé and noir.

The region's world-class wine will be promoted to the world through Pinot Pilgrimage, an internationally live-streamed wine tasting event on Friday 23 April from 7 pm at Tall Timbers Manjimup.  Guests and participants across the globe will learn about the Southern Forests and Valleys’ premium pinots from a panel of local winemakers and wine aficionados.

An opening cocktail reception kicks off a long weekend filled with picnics, live entertainment, sparkling soirées, vineyard experiences and wine-matching dining, taking place throughout the heart of Karri Tree country – just three-and-a-half hours from Perth.

Pinot Picnic is an event that can be enjoyed by everyone and overcomes travel barriers.  Enjoy a Pinot Picnic at home with Pinot Picnic Hampers of wine and produce available for order, shipping nationally and internationally.  Source and Photo:  Pinot Picnic

2020 marked the 15th anniversary of the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement (AUSFTA) which was Australia’s first free trade agreement with a major economy and was the first trade agreement that the United States had entered into in over 15 years.

Austrade and and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade have published a report to mark this important milestone.  Called 15 Years and Beyond, the report notes a near tripling in investment, and highlights some of the major successes in Australia–US relations.  Since AUSFTA entered into force, two-way trade has doubled and two-way investment has tripled.

The US was Western Australia's 15th largest market for agricultural and primary industry exports in 2019-20, worth a total of $167 million to the sector.  WA’s highest value exports were red meat exports led by beef ($51.2 million), lamb ($44 million) and mutton ($20.7 million).  In 2004-05, when the FTA came into force, total exports from WA to the US were valued at $179.8 million, with the largest export, lobster, worth $80.4 million ($6.9 million in 2019-20).  | Related:  Federal Reserve Chair: US boom ahead Source:  Australian Financial Review  [paid subscription]  |   Celebrating 15 years of AUSFTA  Source :  DFAT/Austrade  |  Graphic / Photo:  DFAT / WA Agrifood Export eNews

Australia’s beef industry has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape its future as the country’s historically-low breeding cattle numbers slowly recover in the year ahead, Rabobank says in its newly-released Beef Seasonal Outlook for 2021.

In the report, titled Green Grass and Empty Pens, the agribusiness banking specialist says, with Australia’s breeding cattle inventory beginning to recover from the lowest levels seen in more than 30 years on the back of much-improved seasonal conditions, the industry is now in a “unique position” to reassess and pursue its future direction.

“A number of challenges currently confront the Australian beef industry,” the report says, “including high cattle prices for those trying to build stocks, low supplies and China trade access.

“Australia’s position in the global protein world needs to be considered in rebuilding the herd.  Are we going to be a supplier into high-quality niche markets, a commodity supplier of lean beef to global trade, an exporter of live cattle or exporter of value-added beef to trade markets?”

Report author, Rabobank senior animal proteins analyst Angus Gidley-Baird said “decisions taken this year are not just about whether to restock at high prices, but also about which genetics, production system attributes, feeding regimes, supply chains and end customers are needed to build a sustainable basis for the business in the future”.   Source:  Rabobank  |  Photo:  DPIRD

Australia’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth projection has been revised up to 4.5% in 2021, given the better-than-expected outcome in the final quarter of last year, and healthier domestic demand expected this year, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said this week.

Delivering a briefing on the IMF’s Regional Economic Outlook for the Asia Pacific, Jonathan Ostry, IMF's Deputy Director of the Asia and Pacific Department, said that overall, regional growth is expected to come in just above 7.5% this year, and just short of 5.5% next year. 

Mr Ostry said China's growth has been marked up to 8.4% this year due to stronger nett exports, reflecting higher global growth and the United States' fiscal stimulus. India has seen a more sizeable upward revision to 12.5% this year on account of continued normalisation of its economy and a more growth-friendly fiscal policy, but the current surge in COVID-19 cases presents a worrisome downside risk.

He said the outlook for Japan's economy has improved thanks to unprecedented domestic policy support and favourable external conditions, with growth in 2021 now projected at 3.3%, and 2.5% next year.  For Korea, growth should pick up to 3.6% this year, and moderate to 2.8% in 2022, driven by the favourable external environment for manufacturing and exports.  More...   |  China's economy grows 18.3% in post-COVID comeback  Source:  BBC  |  Related: Video of Press Briefing – Regional Economic Outlook: Asia-Pacific  |  Source and Graphic:  IMF

The Western Australian Government is calling on bright local innovators to submit their application for the 2021 Innovator of the Year program.

Established in 2006, the program supports and recognises WA trailblazers with a promising new product, technology or service that is at the emerging innovation or growth phase of development.

Applicants are strongly encouraged to highlight how their innovation will benefit WA economically, socially or environmentally.

The program has six awards, with a total a prize pool of $140,000 available to help winners commercialise their innovations. This includes the 2021 WA Innovator of the Year Overall Winner, who will receive a prize of $70,000. 

Sixteen semi-finalists will receive intensive business commercialisation training, including pitch presentation skills, one-on-one mentoring, a legal health check and financial planning tools. Eight finalists will also receive a professionally edited video of their innovation.

Applications – which should be completed through the online portal waioty.awardsplatform.com  –  close on 10 May 2021. More information about the program and how to apply is available from the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI). |  Related:  2021 WA Innovator of the Year – Applicant Information  |  Source:  WA Minister for Innovation and ICT/ JTSI |  Graphic:  JTSI