Avocados Australia and the China Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine Association (CIQA) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will build progress towards market access for Australian avocados in China.
Industry peak body Avocados Australia said increasing Australian avocado exports had been made a priority. Avocados Australia said a number of Chinese importers had already expressed interest in Australian avocados, however technical market access was a critical step, with avocados in-line behind a number of other commodities in market access negotiations.
Australian Avocados sits within the Hort Innovation International Market Access Advisory Panel’ (IMAAP) approved pool for prioritisation to China.
CIQA is a not-for-profit organisation focused on the import and export inspection and quarantine sector, assisting with overcoming technical barriers to trade agreements and other technical market access issues.
Australian avocado production is forecast to increase over the next few years, with around 170,000 tonnes per annum expected to be produced by 2026. Queensland is currently Australia’s largest avocado producing state or territory.
Queensland premier Annastacia Palaszczuk attended to witness the signing ceremony.
“Queensland produces some of the best avocados in Australia which are very much in demand overseas. This MOU will enable greater collaboration between CIQA and Avocados Australia, while bolstering industry development through R&D, ultimately growing Queensland’s avocado industry and increasing employment.
“I look forward to welcoming the CIQA team to Queensland and opening additional pathways for a future thriving avocado trade with China,” Palaszczuk said.
Avocados Australia CEO John Tyas said the ceremony provided the opportunity to be open about the processes of working toward market access, and acknowledged the support provided by the Avocado Market Access and Trade Development Project, funded by Hort Innovation using the Avocado Research and Development Levy and contributions from the Australian government.
“Building a strong and enduring technical partnership with CIQA is already helping to assist Australian researchers, particularly the research partners within the new $130 million Fresh and Secure Trade Alliance (FASTA) project, develop relevant data packages to ensure we achieve success when the market access negotiation begins,” said Tyas.
The MOU brings with it the ability to share market intelligence, the ability to develop frameworks for required R&D that channels into overcoming market access barriers and facilitating information sharing between China’s regulatory market access bodies and Avocados Australia.
