Dept of Primary industries and Regional Development graphic element

8 April 2025

Western Australian agrifood export eNews

US tariff changes – Austrade provides support for Australian businesses

On 2 April 2025, the United States (US) announced tariffs imposed on imports from 60 countries including Australia. Most Australian originating goods are subject to a baseline tariff of 10% on import into the United States. These tariffs have taken effect from 12:01 am on 5 April 2025 EDT (3:01 pm Saturday 5 April AEST).

Official White House guidance on this reciprocal tariffs executive order can be found here.

The Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) is working closely with its partners to support Australian businesses navigating the resulting changes.

Webinar to learn more about US tariffs

Austrade and partners invite industry and exporters to attend a briefing on these US tariff changes. Austrade's experts will discuss the implications of the tariff changes and provide guidance on how to navigate the new trade landscape.

11:00 am AEST on 9 April 2025 – Navigating US tariffs (EventsAir).

The briefing will include a Q&A session. Questions can be submitted via the registration form.

Source: Austrade | Image: africa - stock.adobe.com

CSIRO innovate to Grow (I2G) WA is back in 2025

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is excited to support the return of CSIRO's Agrifood innovation program Innovate to Grow (I2G) in 2025.

I2G WA is a free 8 -week online program which helps SMEs build skills and networks and to turn ideas into viable R&D projects. As a program participant you’ll utilise experienced facilitators to help you refine your innovation challenge. You’ll also build your R&D business case and learn how to prepare a strong funding case.

DPIRD encourages you to join over 600 businesses across Australia that have benefited from this program, gaining the knowledge and tools to advance their innovations.

Applications for this program will close on Sunday 27 April 2025. Apply now!

To learn more about I2G WA 2025 click here and contact CSIRO for more detail about the program.

Source and photo: CSIRO

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) is excited to invite you to attend our “Meet the Buyer - Thailand” webinar for WA Food and Agribusinesses interested in export buyer meeting preparation and tailoring their pitch for the Thailand market and CP Group Sourcing Expo 2025. Gain valuable market insights to optimise your trade show experience and maximise your impact at these shows.

Presented by Export Connect, this Meet the Buyer Webinar is designed specifically for WA food, beverage and agribusinesses and will cover key topics, including:

Market Overview incl. economic & demographic overview, consumer & societal trends and key megatrends
Market Entry and Export Pricing for Thailand
Market-Specific Pitch Deck Development
Category-Specific Trends, Data and In-Store Videos
Buyer Engagement & Management

Date: Thursday 15th May 2025, 10.30am - 12.00pm (AWST)

Register Now? Click here for the webinar details and the registration form.

Source and image: DPIRD

Asialink Business Academy: Introduction to Doing Business in Singapore

Singapore is a dynamic, business-focused nation that is consistently ranked as the world’s easiest place to start a business. Its excellent connectivity, world‑class infrastructure, strategic location, and first‑rate labour force provide unrivalled opportunities for Australian businesses.

To operate effectively in this highly competitive market, businesses looking to harness prospects expanded by the Singapore‑Australia Free Trade Agreement (SAFTA) and a transparent, stable regulatory landscape will need to recognise key nuances that influence success.

This program helps participants learn how to do business in Singapore, engage meaningfully, and maximise business outcomes.

Key Takeaways

Raise awareness of the key cultural drivers that impact the way business is conducted in Singapore.
Build understanding of Singaporean business styles and how to respond.
Introduce the skills needed to effectively influence business outcomes and strengthen relationships when working in and with Singapore.

Date and time

Wed, 2 Jul 2025 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM AWST
Reserve a spot

Registering doesn't guarantee a spot as our places are limited and we prioritise applications from Australian SME exporters and Australian organisations.

For more information on this program click here to download the brochure.

Source and photo: Asialink

How AI could revolutionise future food production

The CSIRO are building towards integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) in agricultural food innovation. Their MAGDA++ platform has predictive capabilities to advance future food production quicker.

This platform utilises AI to predict the yield, taste and functional properties of plant proteins. Working with different industries, the CSIRO aim to provide AI-driven solutions that are practical, scalable and aligned with market needs.

With rising global challenges, the integration of AI in food innovation can combat issues such as health, sustainability and security. This benefits the global environment and future food producers.

AI is already being put into practice to support protein innovation. For example, precision agriculture techniques use AI techniques in real time to optimise care for the crops for enhanced yields and higher quality produce. They are applied for:

Monitoring soil health.
Predicting weather patterns.
Detecting pests in real time.

With machine learning algorithms, sustainable food systems can be obtained using fewer resources. By analysing datasets to predict the performance of crop growth in different conditions, farmers can adapt to resilient crop selection that reduces environmental footprints.

Applying AI to ever-growing data sets opens doors for sustainable products to be identified and developed, lessening pressures on producers and the planet’s resources.

Source: Food& Beverage Magazine | Image: SeniaDm/stock.adobe.com

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.

Subscribe to Western Australian agrifood export eNews.

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.