A $827,860 Australian Government grant will help boost beef, sheepmeat and goatmeat exports to the Middle East, North Africa, and South-East Asia by supporting market expansion and promoting Aussie meat exports.
Minister for Agriculture and Northern Australian, David Littleproud said the grant would help provide the red meat industry greater security.
"This project will ensure the continued success of Australia's red meat and livestock exports by maintaining and expanding diversified export markets," Minister Littleproud said.
"The coming decade presents significant challenges in the industry's export markets through competition, changes to market access requirements and consumer preferences.
"It is only the Liberal and National Government that will support the red meat and provide the framework so the red meat industry has the opportunity to grow.
"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.
"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 and draw their attention to Australia's strong regulatory export system for halal red meat exports.
"A new cultural exchange program for young cattle producers will also build stronger international relationships and the development of a sheepmeat export strategy will support producers to better understand 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 sees sheep meat tariffs of 30 per cent eliminated, 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 South-East Asia and the Middle East/North Africa," Mr 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."
Fast Facts
- The Australian Red Meat Market Expansion Program is a partnership between the Australian Meat Industry Council, Cattle Council of Australia, and Sheep Producers Australia.
- Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) was also awarded a $1.7 million ATMAC grant to expand export opportunities in Saudi Arabia, Thailand and Vietnam in 2021.
- The Australian Red Meat Industry will also benefit from a $550,000 grant promoting premium Australian food and wine exports to South Korea and South-East Asia.
- $19 million in grant funding has been committed through ATMAC, a component of the Australian Government's Agri-Business Expansion Initiative (ABEI).
