Promoting Queensland beef in China

Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Bill Byrne is travelling to China tomorrow to promote Queensland beef to one of the globe’s largest markets.

The Minister is leading a 20-strong North Queensland trade delegation that includes Charters Towers Regional Council Mayor Frank Beveridge and CEO Mark Crawley as lead delegates for the North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils.

“I know there are already strong and promising friendship links between North Queensland and southern China and the Palaszczuk Government is proud to help support and facilitate opportunities that lead to new jobs,” Minister Byrne said.

Minister Byrne said as the Member for Rockhampton he knew just how important the beef industry was to Queensland and how much potential it had.

“I’ll be meeting with investors, buyers and retailers in China over the next week and discussing the benefits of sourcing their beef from Queensland,” he said.

“It was an election commitment to pursue increased export opportunities for Queensland’s primary producers through a minimum of three overseas trade missions a year.

“I am delighted that we are starting to deliver on that promise in the visit to Guandong Province.”

The Minister will lead a delegation to Guangzhou and Huizhou in Guangdong Province from 16 to 21 April.

“In recent years, China has become a rapidly emerging market for Australian red meat and is now Queensland’s fourth largest export market. I want to build on that momentum.

“We already export $6.3 billion worth of agriculture and food products per year, but we have great potential to significantly increase this effort.

“China’s rapidly-growing middle class prefers fresh, high-quality fruit and vegetables, sugars, meat and other animal products, all of which Queensland prides itself on producing to world-class standards.

“With a population of more than 1.3 billion people, China has the largest food and beverage sector in the world and Queensland is ideally positioned to service their growing demand.

“Beef is Queensland’s largest agricultural industry, currently worth $5.4 billion per annum.  It is the largest beef producing State in Australia and is the fourth largest exporter of beef in the world.

“Queensland has the largest number of cattle properties, saleyards, feedlots and processing plants in Australia, with a herd of 12.5 million cattle, 35 feedlots and 16 export-accredited beef processing plants.

“In 2013-14, Queensland meat processors accounted for nearly half of all Australian beef.

“We have an excellent record in producing clean, green, healthy beef, with world-class animal welfare practices and traceability. Queensland has a good story to tell new and developed markets and I’ll be telling that story during this visit to China.”

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