Asia at centre of food plan

By JONATHON HOWARD

THE Federal Government has released a National Food Plan which recognises the economic opportunities for the food industry in the Asian Century White Paper and has a strong focus on gearing up the industry for increased export.
Among new initiatives announced are $28.5 million for an Asian Food Markets’ Research Fund to support Australian agriculture and food industries to capitalise on opportunities offered by growing Asian markets. An investment of $2.2 million will be made by the fund for research and analysis of food industry trends to help businesses and governments plan infrastructure to support a growing industry to 2025.
The Government also announced the establishment of the Food Industry Innovation Precinct, an industry-led national network to bring together industry and research capability in areas of competitive advantage and emerging opportunity. Part of its role will be to focus on developing Asian consumer insights capability. It will also help small to medium enterprises to forge new business domestically and through export to Asian markets.
The plan is a very positive step towards an integrated policy framework to address the complex and interacting issues involving food. Despite the positive feel of the plan, Growcom is eager to see more detail on specific programs. It will be interesting to see the Opposition’s response to the plan in the lead up to the Federal Election in September and whether these ideas will be carried forward into a new Parliament.
BREAK OUT
FOR the agriculture and processing sectors the plan frames a vision for 2025 which includes:
* Increasing the value of Australia’s agriculture and food-related industries by 45 per cent in real terms.
* Strengthening food trade and investment relationships with countries across the region and the capabilities to promote Australian interests (with an additional $5.6 million investment)
* Developing a globally-recognised food brand for Australia synonymous with high-quality, innovative, safe and sustainable food, service and technology.
* Increasing Australia’s agricultural productivity by 30 per cent, helping farms grow more food using fewer inputs.
* Increasing innovation in Australia’s food manufacturing industry, building scale and capability through collaborations to make the most of emerging opportunities in the Asian region.
* Aiming for Australia to be among the top five “most efficiently regulated” countries in the world, reducing business costs, and building the skill base of Australia’s agriculture and fisheries workforce, increasing the proportion with post-school qualifications.