Nineteen Western Australian agrifood and beverage businesses will share in more than $1 million from Round 2 of the International Competitiveness Co-investment Fund.

The grants (matched dollar-for-dollar) will help businesses to:

• Adapt and recover from the impacts of COVID-19. 
• Maintain or develop business relationships with international customers. 
• Respond to the ever-changing demands of a global marketplace. 
• Drive business growth. 
• Retain and grow jobs. 
• Benefit WA’s economy and communities.

This important funding is part of the WA Government's ongoing commitment to supporting sustainable economic development, industry diversification, and job creation in WA. More information about the recipients and their plans for the funding is available online. Source: WA Minister for Agriculture and Food | Photo: DPIRD

Western Australia is saying Guten Tag to Frankfurt with a new international investment and trade office.

Recognising the growing opportunities for WA in a range of sectors, Frankfurt will be the first spoke office established within the London-based United Kingdom/Europe Hub of the Western Australian International Investment and Trade Office Network. Expected to be open from 1 January 2023, the setup and operations of the Frankfurt office will be overseen by the Agent General for Western Australia, John Langoulant AO, who is based in London.

The WA Government’s 2022-23 State Budget included $17.1 million to expand Western Australia’s international network and support an ‘invest and trade’ global marketing campaign.

The new office was announced by Deputy Premier Roger Cook at an Invest and Trade WA showcase dinner held in Frankfurt on 21 June 2022. The Deputy Premier was visiting Frankfurt as part of an Invest and Trade WA mission to the United Kingdom and Germany to promote investment and trade opportunities and showcase WA’s industry capabilities.

Germany is WA’s 13th largest trading partner, with $3.1 billion of goods traded in 2021. Last year, WA accounted for 17% of Australia’s total trade in goods with Germany. Germany is WA’s seventh largest market for agrifood exports and was worth $392.9 million in 2020-21 accounting for 5% of WA agrifood exports. Almost all of WA’s agrifood exports to Germany were canola seeds, valued at $389.9 million. Germany was WA’s largest market for canola seeds, accounting for 44% of total canola seed exports. Canola seeds were followed by sandalwood oil worth $435,000 and mutton worth $371,000. More...  Source: WA Deputy Premier / DPIRD | Photo: Invest and Trade WA

A South-West nursery now has the equipment it needs to speed up propagation to meet demand from growers for high-quality grafted grapevines, with support from the Western Australian Government. Through the Regional Economic Development (RED) Grants, a total of $120,960 has made it possible for ARM Nursery in Capel to purchase state-of-the-art automatic grafting technology.

The machinery will increase the speed of the nursery propagation process, allowing a greater quantity of high-quality grapevine material to be produced to service the Western Australian market, with the potential to expand into the Eastern States markets. Rootstock grown on-site is grafted with desirable scion material, including some new material that is originally sourced from overseas.

Up until now, the preparation of pieces for grafting had been carried out by hand, primarily by seasonal workers. The skills of workers can now be better used, with the improved efficiencies allowing staff to focus on high plant quality and consistency. This provides the grape industry with opportunities to access new table and wine grape varieties for existing markets and the development of new markets. More... Source: Minister for Regional Development | Photo: DPIRD [L-R: Steve Partridge, Managing Director, ARM Nursery; Minister Alannah MacTiernan; Jodie Hanns, Member for Collie-Preston]

Do you have a great idea for an agrifood business or an innovative idea to solve an agricultural issue in Western Australia?

The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development is supporting innovation and technology in our agrifood and primary industries sector by funding three Curtin Ignition scholarships in 2022.

Valued at over $3,000, each scholarship is open to WA students, individuals or businesses with ideas that relate to our agrifood, fibre, fisheries, or forestry industries. It is an ideal platform for aspiring entrepreneurs and innovators to develop and trial their business ideas.

Curtin Ignition Perth provides recipients with an intensive week of workshops, mentoring sessions and clinics with industry leading experts. Applications from Indigenous, new and aspiring entrepreneurs with limited experience of starting a business are strongly encouraged to apply.

Applications close 5pm Friday 15 July 2022.  Ignition Perth runs from 4 to 9 September 2022.  More... Source and Image: Curtin University

Is there an emerging leader in your sector who should attend Seafood Directions 2022? 

The conference organisers are offering a special conference rate to encourage Australia's emerging industry leaders to attend and participate in Seafood Directions 2022 in Brisbane from 13 to 15 September. Emerging leaders can come from any area of the seafood industry – from water, to plate.

An emerging leader is someone who:

• Is passionate about the seafood industry, and their role in the industry.
• Wants to hear from industry leaders.
• Is keen to grow their network.
• Is future focused.
• Hasn’t attended Seafood Directions in the past.

If you know someone who would qualify to attend the conference as an emerging leader, please email kylie@cornerstoneevents.com.au with your nominee and what makes them an emerging leader. More... Source: Seafood Directions 2022

The conflict in Ukraine and recent pandemic-related lockdowns in China appear to be dampening global goods trade in the first half of 2022, according to the latest World Trade Organisation Goods Trade Barometer.

The current reading of 99.0 remains slightly below the baseline value of 100 for the index, which is a forward-looking composite of real-time indicators, suggesting continued slow growth in merchandise trade. More... Source and Graphic: WTO