Western Downs producers go all-in to investigate export opportunity

A group of four, forward-thinking Western Downs businesses are embracing future possibilities for their businesses and hopping aboard a history making flight to Shanghai, China in October.

The specialty grains and pulses contract packing business, Regal Seed and Grain along with pork producer, Merivale farms and beef producers, KC Donohoe & Sons and Australian Beef Exports will join over 200 businesses embarking on the AccessChina’16 business delegation to Shanghai next month.

These producers form a special cohort on the plane having been participating in the ‘Western Downs Eastern Opportunities (WDEO) project, a Food Leaders Australia (FLA) initiative supported by natural gas company QGC.
Food Leaders Australia, chief executive, Dr Ben Lyons is pleased by how the group have flourished since joining the project three months ago.

“The project has facilitated export readiness training for the producers and provided opportunities for one on one support and advice, however it’s been their boundless enthusiasm that’s converted this training into a growing export knowledge and made them ready to take this next step”.

“As part of AccessChina’16 there will be business matching opportunities for these four aspiring exporters that will assist them to form the beginnings of their Chinese network”

“China is Australia’s largest agriculture, forestry and fisheries export market, worth $9 billion in 2014-15, up from $5 billion in 2014-11.

“The opportunity for Australian companies to crack into this major market continues to increase. For beef alone, Australia is China’s key imported beef supplier, with 40 per cent of the import market.

“We are excited to be able to assist businesses access these opportunities through the WDEO project and see them gain confidence and explore what international markets, such as China, could mean to their businesses in the not-so-distant future”, Dr Lyons said.

The AccessChina’16 business delegation departs Brisbane West Wellcamp Airport on 23rd October, taking more than 200 business people over to Shanghai for a comprehensive four-day program including a conference and selection of site visits to some of the world’s largest businesses.

For media enquiries contact Stacey Burrell on (07) 4639 4600.