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Australia exported a record $30.5 billion in food last year
AUSTRALIA’s food exports totalled more than $30.5 billion last financial year – the highest value in a decade – according to the just released Australian Food Statistics Report 2011-12.
That dollar value is an increase of more than 12 percent over the previous year, said Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Joe Ludwig.
Mr Ludwig said the report showed the rise in Australia’s expanded production capacity and its strong reputation for producing safe, nutritious high-quality food combined to deliver the encouraging result.
“Australian farmers grow over 90 percent of the fresh food we eat, but they also produce enough food to feed 40 million people living beyond our borders,” Mr Ludwig said.
More than half of Australia’s food exports go to Asia.
The total value of Australia’s farm and fisheries food production increased by 3.4 percent to $42.6 billion in 2011–12,” Mr Ludwig said. “There have been ups and downs, but overall that’s an increase of 31 percent since 2006–07 when we were experiencing severe drought.”
Mr Ludwig said an increased production capacity and strong reputation as a high–quality, safe and nutritious food exporter meant Australia continued to be a net food exporter.
“Last financial year we had a substantial food trade surplus – that is exports compared to imports – of $19.2 billion. That’s an increase of 14.6 percent from 2010–11,” Mr Ludwig said.
“The value of Australian food exports also increased by over 12 percent to $30.5 billion in 2011–12, $3.3 billion higher than 2010–11 and the highest level since 2001–02.
“Overall the value of food exported from Australia has risen by 30.3 percent between 2006–07 and 2011–12.”
“The Gillard Government is working to make the most of the opportunities before us, like those presented by the Asian Century, and secure our food sector a strong and sustainable future into the long term,” Mr Ludwig said.
“I will soon release the National Food Plan which will outline the long-term vision for our food system and how we are going to get there.”.
Australian Food Statistics 2011–12 can be found on the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) website. For further information on the National Food Plan, visit www.daff.gov.au/nationalfoodplan.
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