KEY Aussie export stakeholders and officials will join forces to help protect and grow Australia's horticultural exports in the largest trade initiative in the sector's history.
Create a free account to read this article
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A total of $130 million will go into the eight-year Fresh and Secure Trade Alliance (FASTA) which aims to reduce the impact of endemic pests on sustainable horticulture crop production.
It's also promised to improve Australia's preparedness for future exotic pest incursions and facilitate a national, industry-driven and coordinated approach to research activity supporting horticultural market access and improvements.
Australia's trading partners require evidence that Australian horticulture exports are insect pest free.
Hort Innovation will deliver the program, led by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries.
The announcement was made jointly by federal agriculture minister Murray Watt and his Queensland counterpart, Mark Furner at the Queensland Royal Show on August 14.
FASTA's research program is focused on two areas:
- The delivering robust and timely datasets to underpin market access negotiations: State and Territory governments will work together to standardise their approach to collecting phytosanitary, or pest and disease management data. This data demonstrates Australia's produce is pest-free while also ensuring the impact of phytosanitary treatments on fruit quality will be minimised. These datasets will be used to open new export markets for Australian produce and improve access to existing ones.
- Increasing understanding about fruit fly and other key pests: A multi-discipline, multi-organisational research team of more than 70 scientists from across Australia will test new technologies for tracking pests, trapping pests and reducing pest pressure..
Mr Watt said the research will be able to be used by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in international trade negotiations or by states and territories in supporting domestic trade.
Mr Watt said many of Australia's biggest trading partners are passionate about pest-management.
"This project will help Australia open and maintain these markets and the billions of dollars in annual trade they represent to our horticulture industry," Mr Watt said.
The total value of horticulture exports grew by 2.4 per cent from December 2021 to December 2022.
In 2022, Australia's top three export commodities were almonds (30pc share), table grapes (18pc) and citrus (18pc).
Australia's top export destination is China (28.4pc) followed by Japan (7.4pc) and Vietnam (6.6pc).
Hort Innovation chief executive officer, Brett Fifield, said export growth had never been more important for the $16 billion horticulture sector, with most industries identifying enhancing and diversifying export markets as a priority.
"The Australian horticulture sector is projected to surge by up to 22.5 per cent in value by 2030, primarily due to increased exports in trade-focused commodities," Mr Fifield said.
"Through streamlined evidence-based data collection for the Australian Government's trade negotiations and strengthened biosecurity measures, FASTA will support this growth."
Queensland agriculture minister Mark Furner said FASTA will ensure Australia's reputation for high-quality horticultural produce is protected and enhanced.
"The Australian horticulture sector is known for delivering high-quality and safe produce," Mr Furner said.
"Through the delivery of state-of-the-art research and development, FASTA will bolster the nation's pest management capacity to safeguard the Australian horticulture industry now, and into the future."
Along with levy funding from the avocado and strawberry industries, and support from the federal government, the FASTA is a partnership between:
- Hort Innovation;
- Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland;
- Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (WA);
- Queensland University of Technology;
- Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (Vic);
- Western Sydney University;
- Department of Tourism, Industry and Trade (NT);
- Australian Blueberry Growers' Association;
- James Cook University;
- Department of Primary Industries and Regions (SA)
- GreenSkin Avocados.
Sign up here to Good Fruit and Vegetables weekly newsletter for all the latest horticulture news each Thursday...
