No brake on trade strategy

INTERNATIONAL and domestic expansion remains central to this year’s trade strategy action plan as the state records export growth despite the pandemic.

Trade Minister Jeremy Rockliff (pictured) released the new 2021 Tasmanian Trade Strategy Annual Action Plan on Sunday.

He said the strategy would be in place until 2025, but each 12 months it received an update to ensure it was current with world events.

“The last 12 months are evidence that it is very much needed,” he said.

“Even with the pandemic affecting bottom lines across the last quarter of 2019-2020, our exports continue to climb, reaching more than $5bn in the last financial year, an increase of $207m or 4.3 per cent on the previous year.

“But we need to continue that growth.”

He said the aim was to build on existing areas and support the marketing of key sectors, particularly across primary production with things like beef, forestry and seafood.

“But we’re also getting those key people on the ground in the marketplace advocating for Tasmanians and Tasmania’s industry,” he said.

Mr Rockliff said countries targeted for expansion included the United States, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea and the Middle East.

He also said we needed to seize the momentum after seeing an increase in beef exports over the past 12 months.

North-West producer Richard Bovill said beef prices were the highest they had ever been.

“We supply Greenham’s – they’ve got niche markets around the world,” he said.

“It’s not just beef, it’s Tasmanian grass-fed beef, and it’s a very powerful brand.”