Exporting to be part of future growth

TOOWOOMBA and the Darling Downs is well-placed to cash in on an appetite for Queensland resource and agriculture exports, according to the region’s peak economic lobby group.

Toowoomba and Surat Basin Enterprise CEO Ali Davenport’s comments come after new data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics revealed improvements to coal, natural gas and beef exports nationally in November 2019.

The statistics showed beef hit a record high of $1.04 billion, while natural gas exports nationally for the month cracked the $4 billion mark.

With exports from the resource sector and agriculture together worth $3.6 billion to the region in 2018/19 based on data collected by ID Community, Ms Davenport said there were plenty of opportunities ahead for the Darling Downs.

“I expect our exports to increase over the next five to 10 years in our region,” she said.

TSBE runs the Southern Queensland Innovation in Export Hub, which helps small and medium businesses access overseas markets, while last year Wagner Corportation also received funds to established a regional trade distribution centre at Wellcamp Airport.

Ms Davenport said the establishment of key infrastructure was the next step to help the region realise its export potential.

“We at TSBE are looking at any food and agribusiness who wants to export their products,” she said.

“The other opportunity is the Wellcamp distribution centre.

“With exporting, especially with food, you’ve got to be able to ensure the orders are ontime, every time.

“If we can consolidate growers together, it means there is more reliability.”

Ms Davenport noted the ongoing challenge of the drought as a major risk to growth in regional exports.

Other major exports during November included non-monetary gold, oil, aluminium, copper and alcohol.