Total agrifood exports from Western Australia to Thailand increased by 30% in 2020-21, compared to a year earlier, to $358 million and the highest value on record.

Year-on-year, the largest export was barley, which rose 49%, malt went up 524% and beef went up 137%.  Wheat exports dropped 1%. 

All these products now enter Thailand tariff free, thanks to the Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement, helping increase WA agrifood exports to Thailand by about 200% since 2015-16.

Thailand was WA's eighth largest market for agrifood exports last financial year, accounting for 28% of total Australian agrifood exports to that country.

Australia and Thailand have finalised a new health certificate which came into force in September this year, allowing WA's live western rock lobster to be exported to Thailand for human consumption for the first time. 

Australian businesses can also use the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Agreement to trade with Thailand.  Source:  Kate Pritchett, DPIRD / DFAT / Austrade  |  Photo:  Braden Jarvis / Unsplash

The requirements for exporting food products to China are changing.  China has announced new food establishment registration and product labelling requirements for imported food and overseas food establishments – decrees 248 and 249.

The new requirements come into effect from 1 January 2022 and Australian exporters may need to take actions to meet China’s new requirements.

The Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment held a webinar this week which focused on updated information for self-registration, labelling, and implementation from 1 January 2022, particularly for food export businesses under article 9 that are able to self-register under China’s single window system.

If you would like information from this webinar or have any questions about these new requirements, please email exportstandards@awe.gov.au.  More...  Source and Photo:  DAWE

Being a supplier of high-quality products does not guarantee long term success, according to the latest Partnering for Customer Value case study released this week by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

The Island Fresh Seafoods case study explains how misaligned business expectations affect partnerships.  It will allow you to understand why your value proposition should include service delivery as part of your product offering.

You can learn more about successful exporting in the Patterns of Success report.  More...  Source:  DPIRD  |  Photo:  iStock

The Australian Export Grains Innovation Centre (AEGIC) has just released an online information resource to support Indonesian customers and help them optimise the value of Australian grains.

A new dual-language website has been launched which contains a range of downloadable information packages translated into Bahasa Indonesia, including:

• Information on Australian grains for high-quality food products.
• Information on Australian grains for animal feed.
• Technical support videos.
• COVID-19 resources.
• Milling whole grain wheat flour: special guidelines for flour millers.

AEGIC established this site as part of the grains component of the Indonesia-Australia Comprehensive Partnership Agreement (IA-CEPA), and will continue to support this important trade agreement.  More...  Source and Graphic:  AEGIC

Western Australian producers and exporters will have the opportunity to hear businesses share their traceability journeys at a free webinar being hosted by the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and GS1 Australia.

Traceability, or product tracing, is the ability to follow the movement of a food or beverage through specified stages of production, processing and distribution – right through to global markets which, increasingly, are demanding that the history of products can be traced.

Taking place at 12 noon AWST on 7 December 2021, participants will be given a presentation on DPIRD and GS1 Australia’s Traceability Return on Investment project and hear lessons learnt and insights for food manufacturers.

The Traceability Learning Journeys report will be launched at the event, which is based on conversations with over 20 WA businesses, with insights and lessons distilled so others can benefit and understand how improved traceability systems can help businesses.  The report will be posted on the DPIRD website after the webinar.  More...  Source:  DPIRD / FAO  |  Image:  DPIRD

Wine producers and exporters are being encouraged to attend a market briefing on the South Korea wine market.

Taking place on 2 December 2021 at 9 am AWST, this free online briefing hosted by Austrade will cover:

• Recent wine industry trends in Korea.
• Consumer preferences.
• Major distribution channels.
• Emerging opportunities.
• Tips for Korean buyer engagements.

Speakers will be: Helen Oh, Trade and Investment Commissioner, Seoul, Austrade; and Stuart Barclay, General Manager of Marketing, Wine Australia.  More...  Source:  Austrade  |  Photo:  iStock

Australian exporters are looking to target new markets, including the United States, the United Kingdom, India and Indonesia – where Australia already has, or is working towards, free trade agreements – according to Australia’s 2021 International Business Survey published this week.

Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan said businesses that took part in the survey also underscored the importance of market diversification when exporting, with those businesses selling into a greater number of export markets more likely to report being better off financially compared to a year ago.

However, the survey found smaller businesses and businesses that exported to fewer markets reported the greatest difficulty in the past 12 months.

The survey gauged how exporters were impacted by and managed the difficult trading conditions, with 683 respondents surveyed, including businesses that exported goods and services into 110 foreign markets.  More...  Source:  Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment / Export Council of Australia |  Photo:  Fremantle Ports