As part of a national program to increase trust in Australian agricultural exports to South-East Asia, the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Forestry has awarded 11 grants worth $3.9 million to industry bodies and universities to improve traceability.
The total value of the grants comes to $3.9 million, all awarded to organisations working towards achieving traceability goals and establishing beneficial relationships with international consumers.
Agricultural Trade and Regulation Group deputy secretary, Tina Hutchison, said that the initiative aimed to support collaborative projects building on the National Agricultural Traceability Strategy.
“Grants through the Building Trust in Australian Agricultural Traceability and Credentials program are designed to build credibility and establish robust traceability credentials for Australian agriculture in Southeast Asia,” she said.
“These new grants will assist the industry to establish comprehensive traceability systems throughout the region, reinforcing Australia's commitment to the highest standards of agricultural production and export.”
Building Trust in Australian Agricultural Traceability and Credentials is a component of the National Agricultural Traceability Grants program. The organisations that were successful in their grant applications, and their winning projects, include;
- Australian Grape and Wine Incorporated: 'Tracing Carbon Emissions in an International Wine Industry Value Chain between Australia and Singapore.'
- Dairy Australia Limited: 'Leveraging Australian Dairy Sustainability Credentials to Influence Trade of Dairy Products in Southeast Asia.'
- Australian Table Grape Association: 'Australian Table Grapes Southeast Asia Export Traceability – B2C & B2B Engagement Platform.'
- Meat and Livestock Australia Limited: 'Showcasing Australian Red Meat Integrity Systems and Credentials in Southeast Asia.'
- The University of Adelaide: 'Enhancing Agricultural Traceability for Market Sustainability: A Southeast Asian Perspective.'
- Griffith University: 'Evaluation and Resource Development to Advance Australian Agriculture Export Traceability: A Study of Seafood and Horticulture Trade with Vietnam.'
- Monash University: Enhancing trustworthy honey trade through new honeybee hive provenance technology.
- Australian Mango Industry Association: Assessing the opportunity of adopting integrated traceability systems for Australian mangoes in selected Southeast Asian markets.
- Export Council of Australia: Adopting digital traceability by Australian firms exporting almonds to Malaysia.
- Central Queensland University: 'Leveraging Blockchain for Enhanced Food Traceability and Trust in Australian-Indonesian Horticulture Supply Chains.'
- eBottli Pty Ltd: 'Enhancing Tuna Traceability: RFID-Driven Value Chains for Sustainable Growth in Southeast Asia Bluefin Tuna Trade.'
“My huge congratulations to the successful applicants. These grant recipients are now working to significantly advance our traceability efforts in South-East Asia,” said Hutchinson.
“That’s vital work to grow new and existing markets and build confidence in Australian products that are safe, sustainable, and traced through all stages of production. It is important that our South-East Asian counterparts see how methodically we prioritise tracing Australian produce from paddock to plate.
