The Queensland Government has announced that Australian horticulture exports have been given the green light with a host of partners signing the $130 million Fresh and Secure Trade Alliance (FASTA).
The eight-year program, delivered through the federal horticulture Research and Development Corporation, Hort Innovation, and led by the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, will see key Australian export stakeholders and officials join forces to help protect and grow Australia’s horticultural exports.
According to the State Government, FASTA will also strengthen biosecurity initiatives to cement Australia’s reputation in pest management and as a responsible trade partner for years to come.
The State Government noted that insect pests are a significant challenge for Australia’s horticulture producers, affecting productivity and local and international commerce.
FASTA’s research program focuses on two areas:
- Providing robust and timely datasets to support market access negotiations: State and Territory governments will collaborate to standardise their method of collecting phytosanitary, or pest and disease control, data. This data shows that Australia’s produce is pest-free while also reducing the impact of phytosanitary treatments on fruit quality. These datasets will be used to expand Australian export markets and enhance access to existing ones.
- Increasing understanding about fruit fly and other key pests: Over 70 scientists from Australia will test innovative technologies for tracking pests, trapping pests, and lowering pest load in a multi-discipline, multi-organisational research team. The eight-year program will boost Australia’s pest control research capacity and promote world-class research.
Federal Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Murray Watt stated that the research would be useful to Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry in international trade negotiations and states and territories in encouraging domestic trade.
“This initiative will reduce the impact of endemic pests on sustainable horticulture crop production, improve Australia’s preparedness for future exotic pest incursion and facilitate a national, industry-driven and coordinated approach to research activity supporting horticultural market access and improvements,” Minister Watt said.
“Many of Australia’s biggest trading partners are passionate about pest-management, and this project will help Australia open and maintain these markets and the billions of dollars in annual trade they represent to our horticulture industry,” Minister Watt added.
According to Hort Innovation CEO Brett Fifield, export growth has never been more vital for the $16 billion horticulture sector, with most sectors prioritising expanding and diversifying export markets.
“The Australian horticulture sector is projected to surge by up to 22.5 per cent in value by 2030, primarily due to increased exports in trade-focused commodities,” he said. “Through streamlined evidence-based data collection for the Australian Government’s trade negotiations and strengthened biosecurity measures, FASTA will support this growth.”
Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner stated that FASTA will safeguard and promote Australia’s reputation for high-quality horticulture produce.
“Through the delivery of state-of-the-art research and development, FASTA will bolster the nation’s pest management capacity to safeguard the Australian horticulture industry now, and into the future,” Minister Furner added.
FASTA is a partnership between Hort Innovation, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Queensland, the WA Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development; the Queensland University of Technology, the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (VIC), the Western Sydney University, the Department of Tourism, Industry and Trade (NT), the Australian Blueberry Growers’ Association, James Cook University, the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (SA) and GreenSkin Avocados, with levy funding from the avocado and strawberry industries, and support from the Australian Government.
