On the back of the success of the AccessChina trade delegation to Shanghai, Food Leaders Australia is now looking at export opportunities across the globe for a wide range of member companies and primary producers.
There have been ongoing information sessions and resources produced about the opportunities the North Asia Free Trade Agreements in China, Japan and Korea present to Australia. Korea and Japan already account for a significant volume of quality produce and China will become our biggest beef export market by 2020.
While our business development manager in Shanghai, Ms Liu Wen has been inundated with enquiries from producers following AccessChina, the opportunities don’t stop there.
After embarking on a small but highly successful delegation to Thailand last year, producers from the Toowoomba region are joining a delegation to Bangkok from February 13-17.
Organised by the Thai consulate in Brisbane and accompanied by the Thai ambassador, this trip promises excellent access and networking with the Thai business community and government.
Producers and innovative companies across the region are invited to join the delegation with a small number of seats still available for about $3000 per participant.
The tour will visit the Ministry of Transport for a briefing on the infrastructure project pipeline as well as visit the Airports Organisation of Thailand.
As well as the formal tours, delegates will visit Talad Thai, the largest wholesale meat and fresh produce market in Thailand, and an Australian owned premium wholesale fruit importing business and cold storage facility.
Delegates will also hear from Carey Ramm, AEC Group, who will share an overview of opportunities for Thailand economic markets.
What exactly are the opportunities of Thailand?
Like most Asian countries, it has a burgeoning middle class amongst its population of almost 68 million and more importantly, income levels within that population are growing.
Thailand has a significant food processing and manufacturing sector, one of the largest food processing sectors in Asia, and strong connectivity with established exports into the rest of Asia.
The labour force is well educated, skilled and increasingly engaged in advanced technology.
The automotive sector has been booming in Thailand for the past decade with all major manufacturers located there.
For Australian horticulture and protein producers, we think these factors translate to significant potential in the immediate future.
Infrastructure investment is again a focus of the Thai government with an estimated US$100billion being slated for new road transport and airport connectivity over the next decade.
We see keen opportunity in food, agri-production and processing capability building over the next five years.
South East Asia is also burgeoning with opportunity, with food service opportunities expanding in Vietnam on the back of beef exports and economic stability over the past decade.
Malaysia and Indonesia are enjoying continued growth and prosperity and late last year the Toowoomba region welcomed a government visit from the small sultanate nation of Brunei, where limited land means the country has a reliance on imports.
As well as the exciting Thailand delegation, FLA and Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise is planning a range of initiatives, conferences, and delegations for 2017 including the next destination to Access.
– Food Leaders Australia CEO Dr Ben Lyons
