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25 July 2023
Western Australian
Agrifood Export eNews
Western Australian Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis opened a new $1.3 million high-tech glasshouse in Albany last Friday for critical research to protect and grow Western Australia's valuable agriculture sector.
The facility at the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development's site features a controlled environment to enable year-round use by scientists across grains, pasture and horticulture agronomy, entomology and soils research. Glasshouse studies complement field trials to isolate key variables not possible in the paddock and to better understand plant responses.
The fit-for-purpose building fitted with modern equipment will enable researchers to double the number of experiments and improve their success rate. The facility will help open the door to more collaborative research with the public and private sector focused on WA production systems to benefit industry.
The Albany glasshouse will add to a suite of agricultural research facilities upgraded by the WA Government in recent years, including the Northam Grains Research Facility, South Perth diagnostic laboratories, Merredin laboratories and the Carnarvon Research Station.
Minister Jarvis said the WA Government continues to prioritise research and development, with extensive investments in infrastructure and assets across the State to assist our primary industries to remain internationally competitive. More...
Source: WA Minister for Agriculture and Food | Photo: DPIRD [Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis and DPIRD research scientist Dr Svetlana Micic at the opening of the Albany glasshouse last Friday.]
UK webinar: FTA opens up new export opportunities
The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) recently hosted an insightful webinar focusing on the prospects and potential of the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement (FTA) for Western Australian (WA) agrifood exporters. The webinar provided a valuable analysis of the strategic elements and favourability of trade with the UK, for both established and emerging exporters, as well as the wealth and diversification such trade would offer. It also highlighted the similarities between UK and Australian consumers and trends that are shaping their shopping patterns and the exciting opportunities which could be generated as a result. The event proved to be an engaging platform for WA agrifood exporters to gain insights into the UK market and explore the potential for growth.
The FTA presents new opportunities, with over 99% of Australian goods exports to the UK entering without tariffs. The webinar featured a presentation by Category Wins, a UK-based agency specialising in category and shopper insights and winning new business for producers in UK grocery retailing and other sectors. Commercial Director Alexis Phillippidis and Category Director David Marston explored several topics, including the benefits of the FTA for WA agrifood exporters, an expansive review of the UK market's size and structure, insight into shopper trends and categories driving basket spend and notable considerations for launching products in the UK.
The opening address by DPIRD's Deputy Director General, Industry and Economic Development (DPIRD), Paul Isaachsen, emphasised the significance of this new partnership with the UK. British Consul General in Western Australia, Tina Redshaw, spoke on fostering the historic relationship between the UK and Australia, benefitted by the FTA. Additionally, WA Agent General John Langoulant AO, highlighted why WA exporters should capitalise on the UK market and discussed the implications of the FTA on expanding international market diversification.
For further information on exporting to the UK, please contact DPIRD Agribusiness, Food and Trade by emailing export@dpird.wa.gov.au.
Source: DPIRD | Photo: Tesco | Related: Australia-UK Free Trade Agreement – Benefits for Australian Exporters Source: Austrade | Guide to using the A-UKFTA to export and import goods Source: DFAT
Austrade is now consulting on options to improve Export Market Development Grants Scheme (EMDG) outcomes in line with the Federal Government’s decision to strategically refocus the program.
Austrade is seeking feedback from exporters and other stakeholders to guide the program’s strategic refocus. The refocus will ensure the popular program helps exporters diversify into new markets and remains sustainable into the future.
Consultations will close on 11 August 2023. More...
Source and Image: Austrade
A new report by the Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC) has found that diversification is key to ensuring that Western Australia seizes emerging trade opportunities.
The report, Trading Up: International trade futures and the Western Australian economy, examines the benefits, opportunities, and challenges that exist for the WA economy in relation to trade and investment.
WA's economy is vulnerable to fluctuations in commodity prices, and the global transition to a low-carbon economy presents both challenges and opportunities.
To address these challenges, the report calls for increased export diversification, and leveraging of Australia's and WA's strengths in production that meets the world's growing ‘green’ agendas. More...
Source and Image: Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre
Outbound flight numbers from Australia increased in line with historic seasonal
adjustments in the week ending 25 June, according to the last Export Supply Chain Service (ESCS) Snapshot from Austrade.
At 1812 flights in total, numbers were up 5% from the previous snapshot for the week ending 23 April 2023. Comparing flight capacity to the same period in 2019 (pre-COVID), overall flight capacity from Australia has returned to 93%. This is a marked increase from the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, where up to 90% of all flights into and out of the country were grounded when Australian borders closed in March 2020.
ESCS was an Austrade initiative to coordinate supply chain insights while connectivity to international markets remained volatile, capacity diminished and rates expensive.
Outgoing ESCS Principal Michael Byrne said the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) reconnected Australia’s global airlinks and enabled critical freight movements on over 28,000 flights. With supply chains stabilising and ESCS closed on 30 June 2023, Mr Byrne said COVID-19 demonstrated that we are predominantly a trading nation, and we have to think about how we trade with others.
"We have to work together with our international partners, with other governments and with industry to build resilience into our supply chains, and we have to learn from our competitors to make sure our trade systems are as productive and efficient as possible," he said. "If you supported IFAM and ESCS, I highly encourage you to build on that momentum and get involved in the Simplified Trade System reforms." More...
Source: Austrade | Photo: Josue Isai Ramos Figueroa / Unsplash
Gross domestic product (GDP) growth and inflation rates in the Asian and Pacific economies are forecast to be prosperous and returning to pre-pandemic levels, with the Asian Development Bank (ABD) affirming its positive growth forecasts for the developing economies in the region. Strong domestic demand has proven to be one key determinant in bolstering the region's recovery, with growth rates predicted to be 4.8% for 2023. Despite this, a healthy appetite and sustained demand for locally sourced goods and services may not be enough to outweigh impaired industrial activity and insufficient export prospects, as 2024 figures show a marginal worsening in growth rates.
Some of the region's successful pandemic recovery can be attributed to the re-emergence of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to the global economy, particularly with its economic expansion expected to reach 5% in 2023. The ADB says South Asia’s GDP growth, comprising solely of India, is projected to exceed the entirety of East Asia, composed of the manufacturing powerhouses of Hong Kong, Taipei, South Korea, and PRC, for both 2023 and 2024 as well.
As seen in the Asian Development Outlook July 2023, an easing of upward inflationary pressure in the region’s economies is predicted, as a gradual fall in fuel and food prices occurs. Notably, inflation forecasts are not declining uniformly across all subregions, as inflation in Caucasus and West Asia remains undesirably high at 10.6% in 2023, relative to East Asia’s mere 1.3% for the same year. More...
Source: ADB | Graphic: ADB
WTO issues new edition of 'One-Page Case Summaries'
The World Trade Organisation (WTO) has issued a new edition of WTO Dispute Settlement: One-Page Case Summaries, a biennial publication providing succinct summaries of every panel and Appellate Body report adopted by the WTO’s Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) up to the end of 2022.
It also includes summaries of panel reports circulated to WTO members – and published on the WTO website – which have not yet been adopted by the DSB as they remain subject to pending appeals.
Each one-page summary comprises the core facts, the key findings contained in the reports, and any other matters of particular significance. Twelve cases have been added since the 2021 edition, bringing the total number of cases covered by the publication to 211.
The report includes two historical primary industries cases in which Australia was the respondent – Australia's import prohibition of certain salmon from Canada (1998), as well as certain Australian measures restricting the importation of New Zealand apples (2010). More...
Source and Image: WTO | Related: Summary of Australia's involvement in disputes currently before the WTO Source: DFAT
Further information
Agribusiness, commercial fishing and aquaculture news from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD). If you have any questions or information to share, please email export@dpird.wa.gov.au.
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Important disclaimer
The Chief Executive Officer of the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and the State of Western Australia accept no liability whatsoever by reason of negligence or otherwise arising from the use or release of this information or any part of it.
Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), 2023.
