AUSTRALIA’s vegetable aims to increase the value of vegetable exports to $315 million, or 40 per cent, by 2020.
The Vegetable Industry Export Strategy 2020, being delivered by Horticulture Innovation Australia (Hort Innovation) and developed in conjunction with AUSVEG, outlines a range of methods to help more growers and the wider industry export Australian vegetables to overseas markets.
Hort Innovation chief executive John Lloyd said the vegetable industry has both a huge appetite for export growth and there was a lot of untapped potential.
“Horticulture Innovation Australia is working with growers and AUSVEG to do everything it can to drive this growth and develop a financially sustainable vegetable export sector,” he said.
Mr Lloyd said currently, vegetables make up around 5pc of national export production and through relationship building, working with industry to get it export ready, boosting supply chain efficiencies and overseas activities, that figure could significantly rise.
“With all the necessary mechanisms in place, the Australian vegetable industry could increase its exports by 40pc within four years, and close to double exports within the next decade.”
AUSVEG national manager - export development Michael Coote said data from the Global Trade Atlas and the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed Australia exported around 210,000t of vegetables valued at $227m this past financial year.
In comparison, the strategy outlines an industry target of 310,000t of vegetable exports by 2020.
“The Australian vegetable industry has invested significantly in export development to help growers successfully export fresh Australian vegetables. The development of these markets is critical to the long-term viability of the industry,” Mr Coote said.
“The strategy will ensure vegetable exports are treated as a long-term channel to market by delivering industry-specific export training programs for growers, increasing the range of opportunities for growers to connect directly with overseas buyers and exploring product development and collaboration opportunities to determine the best products or business models for export success.”
CLICK HERE to read a summary of the Vegetable Industry Export Market Development Strategy 2020.