Tassie’s trade boom

THE development of Tasmania’s first trade policy will help guide the state’s export push as the sector grows in leaps and bounds, Premier Will Hodgman says.

Tasmania’s export growth during the past 12 months has been more than 30 per cent.

Mr Hodgman said the Tasmanian Trade Strategy 2018-2025 would provide the certainty and strategic direction the Government promised business and industry and would boost Tasmania’s international export activity to the next level.

Overseas exports from Tasmania increased by 36.4 per cent, to $3.52 billion, in the year to March.

Exports to China increased by $430 million or 58.5 per cent compared to the previous year.

The primary drivers were increased mining exports, sea- food, and forestry products such as paper and paperboard.

Exports to Malaysia were up $122 million or 50 per cent, mainly due to increased mining exports.

“I’ve always had a strong view that we need to seize our opportunities and harness what are Tasmania’s great competitive strengths and our export sector’s $4 billion worth of exports are supporting many Tasmanian businesses and is a backbone of Tas- mania’s economy,” Mr Hodgman said.

He said the strategy would set a course for growth.

“It will be all about understanding what barriers and impediments there might be for our exporters to get the state’s best products to the world, but also to provide the support their business needs from government,’’ Mr Hodgman said.

“This will build on the existing work of government, industry and exporters, which resulted in a record 36 per cent increase in the value of exports, up to $3.52 billion, in the year to March 2018 — the highest year-average level of exports since mid-2009.

“To develop the strategy, I will be engaging with industry and exporters at a series of round-tables in Launceston, Hobart and the North-West, with the first to be held today in the state’s North.”

The strategy will be released by the end of the year.