The Albanese Government is backing Australia's horticulture sector with $1.1 million in funding for the Showcasing Australian Horticulture program, to promote and celebrate our country's world-class produce.
This latest funding is part of the Government's broader $12.3 million commitment to support regional trade events, which has helped ensure events like Beef Australia, LambEx, Hort Connections and evokeAG 2024 are a success.
The Showcasing Australian Horticulture funding includes $625,000 for the National Farmers' Federation to deliver a roadshow that will exhibit Australian horticulture at existing and planned events across the country.
The Albanese Government will also provide $475,000 for Hort Innovation to build connections between horticulture industries in Australia and Japan, through visits, forums and networking events which showcase the excellence of Australia's horticulture sector and open up market access opportunities.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Murray Watt said these opportunities would showcase Australian horticulture both domestically and to our key international trading partners.
"Our Government is committed to supporting projects that will showcase Australian horticulture to a wide audience - facilitating new investment and connections, uplifting capacity, supporting trade opportunities and helping the sector to be more resilient, competitive and prosperous," Minister Watt said.
"Hort Innovation's project will focus on building connections between Australia and Japan to create more opportunity for trade, continuing to open doors for agriculture access overseas.
"As Australia's fourth largest trading partner by value, these steps are important to support opportunities for Australia's horticulture industry in Japan.
"Over the past 18 months, we've achieved improved market access for cherries to South Korea, and market restoration of trade under pest-free conditions from northern Tasmania to China.
"We've also enabled new market access for avocados to Thailand and India as well as new market access for all mango varieties to Japan.
"These trade arrangements are huge wins for Australian horticulture and will encourage further expansion of our horticulture industry."
The Showcasing Australian Horticulture grants build upon the work already completed or underway under the Support Regional Trade Events Program including support for the delivery of the following events:
- Beef Australia 2024
- LambEx 2024
- Casino Beef Week 2023 and 2024
- Hort Connections 2023 and 2024
- Aus Agritech Investor Showcase and Awards 2023
- Events sponsored by the AgriFutures Agritech Event program, including the Digital AgriFood Summit 2023.
- evokeAG 2024.
