No images? Click here
11 April 2023
Western Australian
Agrifood Export eNews
The Western Australian Government has released a targeted export investment strategy as part of its commitment to a more sustainable and diversified economy. Future State: Accelerating Diversify WA focuses on the most significant opportunities to drive international investment to support the State's transition to a cleaner, greener, technologically applied economy.
The strategy accelerates the objectives of Diversify WA, Western Australia's economic development framework, which identified the priority sectors for growth – energy, tourism and events, international education, defence industries, mining and METS (mining equipment, technology and services), space industries, health and medical life sciences and primary industry.
Future State takes this diversification strategy to the next level. It has been developed in response to increased interest from investors, industry and international governments following the rollout of the WA Government's $195 million Reconnect WA package.
The strategy nurtures WA's unique strengths in resources and manufacturing, while targeting diversification opportunities in industries experiencing extraordinary global growth. It aligns and fast-tracks the focus of government and industry to increase WA's competitiveness while supporting the State's industries to scale up and move further along the value chain. The strategy identifies nine more targeted opportunities to accelerate the economic diversification of WA, including high-value food and beverage production.
Through Invest and Trade WA, the WA Government will promote the opportunities highlighted in Future State through the State's growing network of international offices and support the strategy's implementation through initiatives such as the newly launched WA Investments website and the Investment Attraction Fund. More...
Source: WA Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade | Photo: DPIRD
The Australian Government has reached an agreement with China that creates a pathway towards resolving the dispute over Australian barley, Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator Penny Wong, announced today.
Since 2020, China’s 80.5% duties on Australian barley have effectively blocked exports to that market, worth about $916 million in 2018-19. The Australian Government has said there is no justification for these duties and that it is in both countries’ best interest for all trade impediments to be removed.
Following recent constructive dialogue at all levels, Senator Wong said Australia welcomes China’s agreement to undertake an expedited review of the duties over a three-month period, which may extend to a fourth if required.
This dialogue has taken place in parallel to Australia continuing to prosecute our national interests through the World Trade Organisation (WTO). Australia has agreed to temporarily suspend the WTO dispute for the agreed review period.
If the duties are not lifted at the end of the review period, Australia will resume the dispute in the WTO. The WTO trade disputes system encourages bilateral resolution where possible.
Minister Wong said Australia remains confident in the outcome for Australian wine at the WTO. If today’s agreement is successful in providing a pathway for lifting duties on barley, she said Australia expect a similar process to be followed to remove trade barriers for Australian wine. More...
Source: Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs | Related: Federal government says agreement reached with China to resolve barley dispute Source: ABC News | Photo: DPIRD
Australian Hass avocados have received provisional access to the Indian market. New access was granted after Australia demonstrated that its high-quality avocados could meet India’s biosecurity and food import requirements.
Ten trial shipments will be sent to India during the provisional access period. Full access will be granted if these shipments meet India’s import requirements. New access was announced in a Joint Statement by the Australian Prime Minister and the Prime Minister of India on 11 March 2023.
The move comes after Australia secured reduced tariffs on a range of horticulture products through the Australia-India Economic Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (AI-ECTA). Under AI-ECTA, Australian avocados have a tariff rate advantage over India’s key avocado suppliers (New Zealand, the European Union and Peru).
The Australian Government is working with the avocado industry to facilitate the 10-shipment trial. If full access is granted, avocado orchards and packhouses seeking to export to India will be required to become accredited properties under the Export Control Act 2020.
Interested exporters should contact Avocados Australia and continue to monitor for further Australian Government announcements. More...
Source: Austrade | Photo: DPIRD
The United States Commercial Service in Australia invites interested businesses looking to expand their operations to the US to apply for the 2023 Australian SelectUSA Delegation on 1 to 3 May in National Harbour, Maryland.
Explore over 100 sessions featuring C-Suite Executives, Cabinet Officials, Governors, and more. Meet over 71 US Economic Development Organisation representatives from 51 US States and Territories in one location. Connect with more than 1,400 business investors from over 70 international markets.
To register click here. For further information, please email Lachlan Evans at Lachlan.Evans@dpird.wa.gov.au or Georgina Harrowell at Georgina.Harrowell@trade.gov. More...
Source and Image: SelectUSA Delegation
With the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement having entered into force on 29 December 2022, there are now new and commercially significant market access opportunities for a range of Australian agricultural commodity exporters, according to the latest Export Supply Chain Service's Spotlight on India from Austrade.
At the end of March 2023, global container shipping line SeaLead launched a new direct service operating from the east coast of Australia via Port Kelang, Malaysia, into the ports of Nhava Sheva and Mundra in India. This service will reduce transit times to 22 to 30 days, from the previous east coast average of 40 to 55 days.
There are already 13 major and 200 smaller ports along India’s 7,517km of coastline, and the Indian Government has over US$82 billion invested in more than 500 port-related projects, including the development of a new mega port Vadhavan, near Mumbai.
Furthermore, air connectivity between Australia and India is increasing, with 22 direct flights between Australia and India in the week ending 5 March 2023 – a 275% increase compared to the same period pre-COVID – with ample flight options via Singapore and Hong Kong. Qantas has signed a recent agreement with Indigo (an Indian low-cost airline), signalling the growth of the Indian travel market to Australia. More...
Source: Austrade | Photo: Port of Mundra, India
A new seafood database is aiming to improve transparency and steer the global seafood sector to adopt greener practices, according to the United States-based Global Seafood Alliance (GSA).
Planet Tracker (PT), a UK-based non-profit financial think tank, launched the Seafood Database in December 2022. Planet Tracker’s goal is two-fold: to avoid ecological collapse, and to show how environmental data can be used to drive positive financial outcomes within the seafood industry.
PT released its Seafood Database with an analysis of 100 companies, the supply chains in which they are involved, and their respective species of focus. By 2024, the database is expected to include an analysis of up to 300 seafood companies.
So far, PT has obtained data on fish stock health and overlaid it with each company’s exposure to those fisheries and concluded that “overfished seafood… [is] not environmentally or economically viable”.
GSA is an international non-governmental organisation dedicated to advancing responsible seafood practices. More…
Source: GSA / Planet Tracker | Photo: Ray Harrington / Unsplash
The World Trade Organisation Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) led to a US$231 billion increase in trade, particularly within agriculture, according to estimates for the first couple of years of its implementation. Developing members and least-developed country members that have made commitments under the landmark agreement have reaped the most gains, the estimates find.
The TFA, which was inaugurated on 22 February 2017, contains provisions for expediting the movement, release and clearance of goods, including those in transit. It also sets out measures for effective cooperation between customs and other and contains provisions for technical assistance and capacity building. More…
Source: WTO | Photo: Ian Taylor / Unsplash
The World Bank (WB) has warned that the coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine has contributed to a decline in the global economy’s long-term growth potential. This has caused greater poverty and fewer resources to combat climate change.
WB projects that the average potential global output is poised to fall to a 30-year low of 2.2% per year between 2022 to 2030. This would be a drastic fall from 3.5% that occurred each year from 2000 to 2010.
The fall is more pronounced for developing economies, decreasing from 6% from 2000-2010, to less than 4%. The WB believe that “It will take a herculean collective policy effort to restore growth in the next decade to the average of the previous one.”
Despite prospects of economic rebound, the increasing frequency of global crises weighs heavily on global output. The increase of interest rates designed to tame inflation is leading to crisis within the banking sector, evidenced by the failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in the United States and the rescue of Credit Suisse. More…
Source: World Bank / The New York Times | Graphic: World Bank
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.
Copyright © State of Western Australia (Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development), 2023.
