ATIC - AGRIBUSINESS & FOOD NEWS

Welcome to the first edition of Agribusiness and Food News for 2022. We hope that you and your families enjoyed the holiday season.

While the new year has brought more challenges, Austrade will continue to support agrifood exporters to identify opportunities and grow their exports through market expansion and diversification.

We will promote Australia's capabilities overseas for both trade and investment and keep you up to date on significant events in Agribusiness and Food and important programs like the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) and the Agribusiness Expansion Initiative (ABEI).

We look forward to working with you in 2022.

Anne Maree Weston
Head of Agribusiness and Food

On 1 January 2022, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) came into force, giving Australian farmers and businesses access to burgeoning export opportunities across 14 Asia Pacific nations. The 15 member countries account for about 30% of the world's population and 30% of global GDP – making it the largest trade bloc in history.

Daniel Boyer, Austrade's General Manager for mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, reflects on the past year. Whilst Australian businesses have had to confront significant and enduring challenges, Austrade has continued to support exporters and their partners to trade, helping them to achieve around 150 commercial outcomes valued at nearly A$100 million.

Flight cancellations and freight disruptions are occurring at a global level. The International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) team are closely monitoring environmental changes, and support under IFAM will continue to be structured to ensure airfreight capacity is available.

Current supply chain challenges are regularly discussed during IFAM Industry Briefings. To attend please email airfreight@austrade.gov.au with your name, business name and state.

Last year we launched a new digital service for exporters. The service aims to help Australian businesses grow through exporting, to diversify into new markets, and to manage their risk throughout the export journey. 

We're checking in on how well (or not) the service is working for exporters and if it helped you save time. 

You're invited to participate in this short, 5-minute survey being conducted for us by researchers Paper Giant. Get in quick, the survey closes 21 January 2022.