The NSW Government has launched a new strategy to help boost export opportunities for NSW-based food and beverage manufacturers.
The NSW Food and Beverage Industry Development Strategy sets out targeted initiatives including accelerating growth in niche and emerging markets by assisting SMEs to access and become established in new domestic and export markets.
It also aims to help attract investment by making international investors aware of the local sector and enabling businesses to access international markets.
The strategy will also support coordination actions across government, industry and research institutions to ensure that NSW food and beverage-manufacturing firms have everything they need to stay at the cutting edge, and aims to help create a fit-for-purpose workforce by attracting employees with the right skills; and provide a supportive business environment.
The Minister for Trade and Industry Niall Blair said the strategy is about supporting food and beverage manufacturers so that they can make the most of enormous export opportunities.
“We want to help the businesses that are bold enough to take the best of NSW to the world.
“Around 3,600 food and beverage manufacturers employ nearly 70,000 people in NSW, making it the largest employer of any manufacturing sector in the state.
“A strong food and beverage manufacturing sector means jobs across the state and especially in regional NSW. Growing exports from our food and beverage manufacturing sector also benefits our farmers, who see even greater demand for their products at farm gate.”
NSW firms generate more than 30 percent of the nation’s food and beverage sales income, totalling in excess of $30 billion in 2016-17. NSW exports of processed food grew more than 10 per cent in the five years to 2016-17, totalling $4.4 billion.
A booming middle class, particularly in Asia, meant that there was ever increasing demand for our high quality food and beverage products, the minister said.
“We have an international reputation for clean, green and safe food, and consumers around the world are clamoring for our products."
