Trade

Known for its soothing fragrance and myriad of applications, lavender has emerged as a versatile and sought-after plant that is thriving across Australia.

Australia’s hay market is exceeding expectations with suppliers being urged to make hay now to meet demand. Feed Central predicts strong demand for hay and straw throughout the 2024 financial year as buyers cope with dry El Nino conditions. The export market has opened with high prices and these are expected to remain strong across the season.

Australia’s sheep, cattle and goat markets are being impacted by very high production numbers, compounded by already large volumes of meat in congested supply chains, according to agricultural analysts at Rabobank. For the sheep sector particularly, there is effectively a "mountain of supply at the moment" following two "extremely good seasons"...

The large volume of production and broken logistics have made Ukrainian grain an attractive target for politicians and businessmen ... ARR.News asks Ukrainian market specialists: how much will the cost of Ukrainian grain decrease if problems with exports persist?

New analysis from CSIRO, Australia’s national science agency, has led to the European Commission’s recognition of the Australian canola industry’s low-emissions credentials for the second time, enabling local canola growers continued access to lucrative international markets. Australia is a major supplier of canola to the European Union (EU) biodiesel market, with over 1.8 million tonnes exported annually to European countries.

NSW Farmers says the federal government must force importers to pay for the biosecurity threats they create. The calls came after authorities admitted defeat on eradicating Varroa mite after more than a year of fighting the invasive pest.

Am I missing something or does this Federal Labor government have a problem with the Middle East? ... The government’s decision to reject extra Qatar Airways flights into Australia gives us a hint of what they are thinking ... Similar to live exports, the Government can give no coherent reason as to what makes up this social licence ...

At the bottom of all those outgoing planes is spare cargo space or what they call belly cargo which we can fill with rock lobster going to China and chilled lamb and beef going to the Middle East ... If the government is banking on boxed sheep meat replacing live exports, then its decision on Qatar is a step backwards.

The ability of the Australian grains industry to compete internationally is being seriously hampered by supply chain inefficiencies, with recent record harvests highlighting a need for more capacity in the current network, a GrainGrowers commissioned report has found. The ‘Connecting the Dots: Improving Australian Grain Supply Chain Efficiency’ report was compiled by independent global strategy consultancy LEK. 

The removal of tariffs on Australian barley by Chinese authorities has seen barley prices trend higher since the start of August, according to NAB’s September Rural Commodities Wrap. The NAB Rural Commodities Index* fell 1.6% in August and is now 30.7% lower compared to when Australian rural commodity prices peaked in June 2022.

Rural Bank’s Australian Agricultural Exports Report 2022/23 has found that export values reached a record high in 2022/23, driven by the 2022 winter crop. Australia’s top 13 export markets recorded year-on-year growth with the top 12 all achieving record highs, led by China, with Japan and the US retaining their places as Australian agriculture’s second and third most valuable markets.

The announcement that Indonesia will lift its live cattle export suspension with immediate effect is welcomed. With Malaysia recently making the same announcement, this means our critical live cattle industry can return to normal export routes as quickly as possible.

The National Farmers’ Federation welcomes the agreement to resume the trade of Australian buffalo and cattle following restrictions imposed by Indonesia. We appreciate this has been a challenging time for the Australian and Indonesian industries as these issues were worked through.

Meeting the export premium market certification requirements for non-genetically modified organism (non-GMO) produce has just been made cheaper, easier, and more efficient for Australian farmers. Continuing its ongoing focus on export reform … DAFF has phased-out the use of manual processing for non-GMO certification to 37 countries...

As Australian looks towards exploring new export markets, MENA region presents a wealth of trading and investment potential for Australian regional businesses. Strategically located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, the MENA region is a hub for global trade and commerce providing a unique opportunity for regional businesses in Australia to expand and diversify into new markets.

Australian agriculture, fisheries and forestry are set to have the third-highest yearly gross value on record in 2023-24, with production value predicted to reach $86 billion. Executive Director of ABARES Dr Jared Greenville said release of the ABARES Agricultural Commodities and Crop Reports shows the sector is remaining strong despite challenging conditions.

“Now more than ever it is crucial the State and Federal Labor Governments work together, and, given the Premier only two weeks ago announced plans to establish an embassy to do the job of elected 14 Federal Labor Members, we have little confidence in this relationship. This is too important to get wrong – stakeholders need to be brought into conversations with Government and while we await the results of Indonesia’s 60-day review, planning must be undertaken to ensure strength of the industry": Shane Love.

Farmers and representatives from across the West are packing their bags and heading to Canberra on September 5 to speak directly to politicians about the Government’s proposed phase out of live sheep exports … Australia’s live export industry is worth some $1.3 billion and generates around 10,000 jobs, many in remote areas.

South-East Asia presents a "bright spot" for Australian and New Zealand dairy exporters in an "increasingly lethargic global economy", Rabobank says in a recently-released sector report. The specialist agribusiness bank says "better times lie ahead" for the dairy markets of the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore and Vietnam...