Minister opens Perth trade show

25/03/07
Agriculture and Food Minister Kim Chance today opened a major trade show to help secure new international markets for Western Australian food and beverage companies.
Mr Chance welcomed international buyers from Thailand, Singapore, Pakistan, Russia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Japan and China to the Fine Food Perth exhibition this week.
Fine Food Perth is WA's leading event for the food service and hospitality industry to promote the State's products to both domestic and international markets.
"Fine Food Perth showcases our vast and premium agri-food industry, an industry which in 2005-06, saw WA agri-food exports valued at $4.7billion," Mr Chance said.
"About 200 Australian companies are exhibiting their products with more than half being Western Australian, and we expect in excess of 4,000 trade visitors covering domestic, national and international interests."
The Minister said the event would be held every two years, alternating with Food and Hotel Asia in Singapore, the other main exhibition in the region.
The Department of Agriculture and Food had been working with industry, WA overseas trade offices and Austrade to attract international buyers best suited to the marketing of WA products.
"The focus has been on companies which are interested in WA products, have an appropriately sized distribution network and clientele to suit our suppliers, and a willingness to work with suppliers to grow the volume and range of WA products," Mr Chance said.
The Minister said that given the market forces of globalisation and supermarket dominance, WA needed to increase its volume of value-added food and beverage production to internationally competitive levels.
"The State Government recognises the strategic nature of the food industry and the need for it to be at the leading edge of product and service developments," he said.
"Through the Department of Agriculture and Food, we have already initiated several food development activities, such as the WA Food Industry Development Fund and negotiating linkages with Food Science Australia and Leatherhead Food International for technology services.
"We are also keen to attract prospective investors in the WA food industry, as there is a wealth of untapped potential growth for large-scale food manufacturing in this State."
Fine Foods Perth runs from March 25-27 at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre.
Minister's office - 9213 6700