South Perth, Western Australia
November 27, 2012
Western Australia has a ‘once in a generation’ opportunity to contribute to meeting the growing demand for food from our Asian neighbours, Department of Agriculture and Food director general Rob Delane told a conference in Perth today.
Mr Delane told the University of Western Australia’s In the Zone conference that WA was well placed to become a preferred supplier of safe, high quality food to Asia’s rising middle class.
“Emerging middle class consumers are expected to become the dominant force in the global economy,” he said.
“According to the ANZ bank Greener Pastures report, Australia has the capacity to capture up to an additional $1.7 trillion in agricultural exports between now and 2050.
“The department is working with the agriculture and food industry on strategies to capture this emerging demand and generate flow-on returns to WA businesses and the WA economy.”
Earlier this year the department launched the Agrifood 2025+: the future WAy initiative to stimulate industry, business and community input into how this opportunity should be pursued.
Based on three case studies – the Farm Tech WAy, the Gourmet WAy and the Global Supermarket WAy – the scenario building technique has generated much discussion.
Mr Delane said a different way of thinking was required to optimise the opportunity before the agriculture and food sector.
“I am passionate about the need for a customer-focused approach to the Asian market opportunity, greater collaboration between supply chain links and stronger public-private sector partnerships,” he said.
“The department has been working to better understand these emerging Asian markets, develop relationships and take action to ensure the sector is equipped to harness these opportunities and build on them for the long term.”
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