THE AUSTRALIAN government has announced a grant to improve market access for Australian vegetables in Europe.
The government awarded Australia’s peak body for vegetable growers, Ausveg, an Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation (ATMAC) grant to advance its national export development activities.
Ausveg chief executive officer Michael Coote said the ATMAC grant delivers significant value to fruit and vegetable growers and the broader horticulture industry.
“The grant will allow Ausveg to facilitate a study tour to the UK and EU,” he said.
“This will offer horticulture growers a unique opportunity to learn firsthand about the social, economic and governance compliance requirements on UK and EU growers and what expectations will be on Australian exporters to meet the same requirements.”
Minister for agriculture, fisheries and forestry Murray Watt said the $121,000 in funding would help Ausveg tell new consumers about our world-leading food safety, sustainability and worker welfare standards.
“This grant will help Australian vegetable growers tell that story and ensure their world-class produce remains trade competitive,” he said.
“The United Kingdom and European Union are increasingly becoming key export markets for our fresh produce, with the UK Free Trade Agreement coming into force recently and negotiations continuing on an FTA with the EU.”
Ausveg is the industry representative body for the vegetable and potato sectors.
A media statement from Mr Watt’s office said the ATMAC funding would support Ausveg to research and deliver information to its network of around 100 exporting vegetable producers around Australia.
