Premier Will Hodgman aims to drive further growth in Tasmania’s Asian exports and Tasmanian jobs with a trade and investment mission starting this week.
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“The Liberal Government’s efforts to increase trade and exports to Asia through engagement, including the successful visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2014 and previous trade missions to East Asia in 2017 and South Asia in 2016, is paying dividends for Tasmanian jobs,” Mr Hodgman said on Monday.
“Trade with greater China, our largest export partner, grew by $430 million, or 58.5 per cent, in the year to March.”
Mr Hodgman said Tasmania’s (overseas) exports were worth more than $3.5 billion annually to the state economy and had increased by 36 per cent in the past year.
He said nine of Tasmania’s top 10 export markets were in Asia.
The three-stage mission would include:
- A visit to the Asia Fruit Logistica trade show in Hong Kong, which Mr Hodgman said would take high-quality Tasmanian produce to 1300 top buyers and decision makers from more than 76 countries;
- business meetings in Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou, including with online retail giant Alibaba; and
- a Tourism Tasmania-led leg in Shanghai, Hong Long and Kuala Lumpur.
Mr Hodgman said it was important to have government leadership in overseas markets to show the state was serious about taking Tasmania to the world.
The trade mission from September 5-20 will involve 22 industry delegates, representing:
- Fruit Growers Tasmania;
- Horticulture Export Group Tasmania;
- Hansen Orchards;
- Fruitday;
- Entura;
- Platinum Ridge Cherries;
- Rowella Cherry Farm;
- Perfect Produce;
- Coal Valley Orchard;
- Glenburn Orchards;
- Styx River Cherries;
- Newtile Farms;
- Premium Fresh;
- Harvest Moon;
- Reid Fruits;
- Houstons Farms;
- McHenry Distillery;
- Australian Whiskey Holding Ltd;
- Juicy Isle;
- Hazell Bros;
- the Tasmanian Chamber of Commerce and Industry; and
- Woodbridge Smokehouse.
