Tasmania’s agriculture sector is set for a boost as more funding has been announced to make more connections with international export markets.
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Nationals Senator Steve Martin announced a $320,000 package for the Tasmanian fruit and vegetable export facilitation group at Harvest Moon at Forth on Wednesday.
Agricultural Director of Harvest Moon Mark Kable said it would benefit the whole North-West and not just Harvest Moon.
“Our businesses along this strip of land rely on exports. 10-years-ago we lost a lot of export markets, currency and production, so getting these grants will just help us getting back on that export trail again and the industry needs exports,” Mr Kable said.
“Tasmania 10-years-ago, we used to be growing 120,000 tonne of onions and this year we are down to 50,000 or 60,000 tonne. We are down to about half our production base because we have lost those export markets.
“We have lost half of our production base because we have lost those markets.”
Executive officer of the Tasmanian Agricultural Productivity Group Terry Brient said they currently had six Tasmanians in Hong Kong talking to importers.
“People won’t come to us, we have got to invest in people, time and opportunity to go to these big markets across the world and put Tasmania’s flag up and bring the produce to them to recognise the quality,” Mr Brient said.
“The grant money will facilitate the marketing outreach we were trying to give our companies the option of going that way.”
Senator Martin said the funding was for developing international export markets and was not just about fruit and vegetables but the whole agriculture industry.
“We have some fabulous fruit and vegetables grown here in Tasmania, we produce a lot of quality stuff and we are very proud of our biosecurity,” he said.
“It is something that is of great interest from international markets.”
Agriculture and water resources minister David Littleproud said Tasmania’s biosecurity gave an advantage over the mainland for the competitive international export market.
“We are a nation of 25 million people and we produce enough food for 75 million people so it is important we engage the world more than ever and we have got the product to do it,” Mr Littleproud said.
“It is an application process… the Australian government will make sure we collaborate with our state colleges to give the best knowledge to know and understand,” he said.
He said the first $50,000 is for matching importers and exporters.