By Senator Raff Ciccone - In 2022-23, Victoria’s food and fibre exports achieved a record $19.6 billion, up seven per cent from the previous year.
This is a real testament to our farmers, businesses and food manufacturers, who have all shown tremendous resilience to moderate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Victoria’s products are exported to key international markets, including China, Japan, the United States, New Zealand, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea, the United Arab Emirates and India.
Demand for grain, meat, dairy, horticulture, prepared foods, seafood, wine, animal fibre and forest products are all helping drive this growth.
That is why Australia has a lot to offer as a trusted and reliable trade and investment partner.
Importantly, Federal Labor is helping Victoria unlock new opportunities that will deliver more exports and create more jobs.
When the Albanese Government was elected two and a half years ago, there was $20 billion worth of trade impediments with the Chinese government.
That meant producers of barley, cotton, oaten hay, coal, meat products, copper ores, wine and timber logs had effectively been blocked.
With one in four Australian export dollars coming from trade with China, Federal Labor set out to stabilise this relationship with our country’s largest trading partner.
Today, less than $500 million of those impediments remain, largely thanks to the Albanese Government’s calm and strategic response led by Minister for Trade, Don Farrell.
In great news, Australia recently secured a timetable for the return of live rock lobster into China by the end of the year.
Just last week, Federal Labor strengthened agricultural ties with China by signing a letter of intent on cooperation to explore more efficient trade of organic goods exports.
Australia is also boosting exports in the Middle East, securing a landmark trade and investment agreement with the United Arab Emirates in September.
This major deal will remove over 99 per cent of tariffs on Australian products and increase exports by almost $700 million a year.
It will deliver benefits for farmers and food producers on products such as sheep meat, seafood, dairy, beef, lentils, nuts and steel.
With one in four Australian jobs relying on trade, Federal Labor is creating new opportunities for Victoria’s exporters, farmers, producers and businesses to diversify their markets.
And we will continue to ensure Victoria’s high-quality products can be enjoyed by the world, while delivering economic benefits and more jobs for the regions.
Senator Raff Ciccone is a Federal Labor Senator for Victoria and Deputy Government Whip in the Senate.
