A $827,860 federal government grant will help boost red meat – including beef, sheepmeat and goatmeat – exports to the Middle East, North Africa and Southeast Asia by supporting market expansion and promoting Australian meat exports.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australian, David Littleproud, said the grant would help provide the red meat industry with greater security.
“This project will ensure the continued success of Australia’s red meat and livestock exports by maintaining and expanding diversified export markets,” he said. “The coming decade presents significant challenges in the industry’s export markets through competition, changes to market access requirements and consumer preferences.
“The focus will be on technical market access, trade facilitation and capturing and maximising opportunities to grow export volumes and values in key export markets.”
According to Littleproud, a cross-sectoral partnership of Red Meat Advisory Council (RMAC) members will use the funds to support and promote the uptake of an electronic paperless health certification system to high growth markets. This will draw their attention to Australia’s strong regulatory export system for halal red meat exports.
Additionally, a new cultural exchange program for young cattle producers will build stronger international relationships, while a sheepmeat export strategy will support producers in better understanding market requirements to maximise returns.
Red Meat Advisory Council CEO, Alastair James, said the Australian Red Meat Market Expansion Program would help capitalise on recent trade wins, such as the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement, which eliminates sheep meat tariffs of 30 per cent, and the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement.
“Our Red Meat Market Expansion Program will complement and build on Meat and Livestock Australia’s three new locally engaged business development consultants in Southeast Asia and the Middle East/North Africa,” James said.
“The grant will help reduce non-tariff trade barriers and increase understanding and recognition of the value of Australian red meat exports as we aim to double sales by 2030. The electronic certification rollout by government, supported by industry programs will reduce the burdens to business including the loss of shelf-life waiting for paper certification.”