Seafood Industry Australia received an AUD 888,000 (USD 649,000, EUR 550,336) grant from the country’s government to develop and expand Australian seafood exports into new markets.
In a statement, Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australia David Littleproud and Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries Jonno Duniam said the grant would help explore new export channels in overseas markets and deliver the industry’s export market strategic plan.
“This plan will focus on expanding into new markets, and markets with high growth potential,” Minister Littleproud said. “A key part of the plan is investigating and analyzing new potential markets, such as North Asia, South Asia, the Pacific, Europe, and the Americas, with rock lobster and abalone a key focus.”
The grant has been awarded via the Australian government’s AgriBusiness Expansion Initiative (ABEI).
For the endeavor, SIA will engage two trade export managers to build capacity for seafood exporters across Australia.
“The grant will also go towards promoting the Great Australian Seafood brand under brand Australia,” Littleproud said. “By working in partnership with Austrade, SIA will assist in the design of a promotion schedule for Australian seafood in export markets.”
Duniam said the campaign will aim to attract new consumers and tap into the “huge growth potential” internationally for Australian seafood.
“By building up the Great Australian Seafood brand, we can tell the rest of the world what we already know – that Australian seafood is the best in the world,” Duniam said. “There are swathes of consumers out there who want to enjoy seafood that is sustainably caught, clean and green, and this is an opportunity to connect with them.”
SIA CEO Veronica Papacosta said the program would establish a “one-stop-shop for seafood exporters.”
“There is a plethora of information, resources, and databases out there for seafood exporters, however, it can be difficult for producers to keep track of them all and know how to find them,” Papacosta said.
Papacosta said a digital platform will help producers and exporters find all the resources and information they need.
According to forecasts, Australia’s seafood production is estimated at AUD 2.94 billion (USD 2.16 billion, EUR 1.83 billion) in value for 2020-2021 and AUD 3.01 billion (USD2.22 billion, EUR1.88 billion) in 2021-2022; while the value of Australia's seafood exports is forecast to be AUD 1.34 billion (USD 988 million, EUR 838 million) in 2020-2021.
“Importantly, this funding will support whole of industry, regardless of sector or location. It will allow us to immediately put boots on the ground to quickly deliver much-needed support to the sectors that need it most,” Papacosta said. “We’re grateful for the continued support of the government, and look forward to developing new market opportunities to promote our Great Australian Seafood internationally under the umbrella of brand Australia.”
Photo courtesy of Seafood Industry Australia
