THE major Australian horticulture export campaign, Taste Australia, will be further rolled out in 10 countries across Asia and the Middle East.
The Taste Australia campaign is funded by Hort Innovation using industry research, development and marketing levies and funds from the Australian Government.
Hort Innovation says the campaign has kicked plenty of goals in the 12 months since it launched.
Regarded as the “boldest foreign trade initiative to date”, the campaign was underpinned by more than $40 million in research and development projects.
The Taste Australia initiative was developed in response to industry calls for a cohesive, national export project to drive foreign interest and demand for Australian horticultural products.
The initiative was launched at Asia Fruit Logistica (AFL) last year, which is the largest specialised fruit and vegetable trade event in Asia.
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On the back of the project’s success, it will now go into more countries across Asia and the Middle East.
Australian growers will once again showcase their products under the Taste Australia banner at AFL this week with a Hort Innovation delegation of more than 220 stakeholders, representing 80 Australian businesses across 528 square metres.
Hort Innovation says the trade effort over the past 12 months saw the value of fresh horticultural exports reach a record $2.18 billion for the year ending June 2018, with more than 40 per cent of this value being driven by the export of citrus fruits, table grapes and cherries.
Hort Innovation general manager for trade, Michael Rogers, said the export results not only demonstrated the value of Taste Australia activities but also positioned the Australian horticultural industry well within foreign markets.
“Australia has a solid reputation for delivering high-end produce that has undergone the most rigorous inspections along all stages of the supply chain, and the Taste Australia brand builds on this,” he said.
“We have been exhibiting at Asia Fruit Logistica for more than 10 years. When Taste Australia launched last year, we found it increased our engagement with key stakeholders across Asia.
“Through the Taste Australia brand, we are strengthening our homegrown produce on a global stage, bringing high quality, high-end premium goods to international markets.”