The Western Australian Government will support 74 food and beverage businesses to grow their operations and boost local jobs.  Round Two of the Agrifood and Beverage Voucher Program will provide $494,949 worth of vouchers to local businesses to support access to expert advice to grow.

The program provides small to medium enterprises in metropolitan and regional areas with vouchers of up to $10,000 to engage a professional consultant or technical expert to assist business growth objectives, spanning from digital and technology planning to market positioning.

Eligible businesses are also required to invest on a minimum dollar-for-dollar co-contribution basis.  The program is delivered by the Agribusiness Food and Trade team within the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.  Source:  WA Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food  |  Photo:  DPIRD [Kim Antonio, Project Manager, DPIRD Food Industry Innovation; Garry Rogers, The Lake House Denmark; Alannah MacTiernan MLC, Minister for Regional Development; Agriculture and Food; Leanne Rogers, The Lake House Denmark.]

Twenty-two Western Australian small and medium enterprises – including 13 in the agrifood and beverage sectors – will share in almost $480,000 in funding after securing support through the Invest and Trade WA's funding program Access Asia Business Grants.

The WA Government program helps local businesses advance their international business efforts in Asian markets. It is also supporting the State's COVID-19 economic recovery by increasing trade and investment opportunities with Asia.

The program is a key component of the State's Asian Engagement Strategy 2019-2030: Our Future with Asia.

Grants of up to $25,000 (excluding GST) are being provided to businesses across a range of sectors, including international education; mining equipment, technology and services; primary industries; renewable energy; resources; retail; tourism, events and creative industries. The full list of successful Access Asia Business Grant round three recipients and their projects can be found here.  More...  Source:  WA Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade  |  Photo:  JTSI

The Western Australian Government, through the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Tourism WA, has partnered with the Australian Government on the 'Australia now Malaysia' program, an initiative building on the strong and longstanding ties with our regional neighbour.

Woven through the State's multi-faceted connection with Malaysia is a shared love of food, WA Deputy Premier Roger Cook said at the launch of the program in Perth last week.

"This is, in part, demonstrated by WA’s strong market presence in Malaysia for agriculture and food products," Mr Cook said.  "Malaysia is WA’s eighth largest agrifood export destination.  Last year, our State accounted for a third of the nation’s top five agriculture and food exports to Malaysia."

Over the past three years, the value of WA exports to Malaysia has grown by 15% each year.  In 2019-20 the State's top agrifood export to Malaysia was wheat, valued at $138 million, with total agrifood exports $248.8 million, up 4% year-on-year.  |  Related:  WA produce and tourism centre stage in Malaysia  |  Source:  WA Deputy Premier / DFAT / JTSI / DPIRD  |  Photo: JTSI [Malaysian-Australian celebrity chef Adam Liaw (far left) at the 'Australia now Malaysia' launch in Perth last week.]

Are you a Western Australian businesses supplying perishable products overseas?  If so, a reminder that you can register here for a webinar about the WA Cold Chain Optimisation Pilot project on Wednesday 30 June 2021.

The webinar will outline some of the logistical challenges currently faced by WA exporters of perishable food and beverage products as well, as how improved end-to-end cold chain management can contribute to reduced food loss and wastage, improve food quality and shelf life, enable viability in chilled sea freight, enhance product and brand reputation, and increase profits. The webinar is suitable for exporters and their third party service providers.

It’s part of AusIndustry’s Entrepreneur’s program and is supported by DPIRD. The webinar will also provide an update on other AusIndustry initiatives supported by DPIRD that involve the improvement of supply chain processes.

Registration is required.  For more information, please email Terry.Burnage@dpird.wa.gov.au.  Source:  DPIRD  |  Photo:  iStock

Western Australian exporters and producers are invited to hear the latest airfreight / export news from the experts at the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) and the Agribusiness Expansion Initiative (ABEI), as well as the Western Australian Government and key industry stakeholders.

Held on Friday 2 July 2021 from 11 am to 12 noon AWST, this free online webinar will be another great opportunity for industry to hear about the latest developments and new insights into the current supply chain and airfreight environment.

Don’t miss the opportunity to speak directly with freight logistics and supply chain presenters.  Please submit any questions on notice for discussion to airfreight@austrade.gov.au by Wednesday 30 June.  Register now to secure your spot.  Source and Graphic:  IFAM 

The Australia-Indonesia Business Council WA Chapter and the Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Perth are co-hosting a business networking event and panel discussion to mark the anniversary of Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA).

Hailed as a milestone in the economic relationship, IA-CEPA entered into force on 5 July 2020 and opened new opportunities for WA businesses, primary producers, service providers and investors.

The event, taking place at the Indonesian Consulate in Perth on 15 July 2021 from 5.30 pm until 7.30 pm, will feature a keynote address on IA-CEPA followed by a distinguished panel of speakers with industry insights.  More...  Source:  AIBC   |  Photo:  |  Photo:  Afif Kusuma / Unsplash

The “best start in a decade” for Western Australia’s winter cropping program has kept spirits high among the State’s farmers, the latest quarterly Rabobank Rural Confidence Survey has found.  WA farmer confidence remained close to last quarter’s stellar level and is one of the top 10 results in the survey’s 20-year history.

The “near perfect” start to the season and strong commodity prices were expected to flow into the balance sheets of the State’s farming businesses, with more than a third of WA farmers surveyed expecting to generate a higher income in 2021-22, with this figure increasing to half of those in the grain sector.

Completed last month, the survey found 38% of WA farmers were expecting conditions in the agricultural economy to improve over the next 12 months – in line with last quarter’s reading of 40%.  More...  |  Related:  Expectations of another ‘big year’ fuelling confidence in Australia’s farm sector  |  Source:  Rabobank  |  Photo:  DPIRD