12 May 2016

Hort gets a seat at ACCC table

12-May-2016

Citrus Australia chair, Tania Chapman, has been appointed to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s Agriculture Consultative Committee.
Chaired by ACCC Commissioner, Mick Keogh, the Committee will provide a forum for the discussion of competition and fair trading concerns related to the agriculture sector.
Tania will represent the entire horticulture sector on the committee in her role as Voice of Horticulture chair.
“Each year the agricultural market, especially domestic sales and marketing in the wholesale and retail sector, has issues pertaining to horticulture. Having a seat at the table gives me, on behalf of horticulture, the opportunity to respond on how these issues may affect our industry,” Tania said.
“For many years horticulture had not had a voice at any level”.
“We have been pushed to the side by the big boys of the town, such as; beef, sheep, grains and sugar, and we have not had a ‘voice’.
“With the VoH, we now have that united voice across our horticultural industries, and it is time that we had the recognition we deserve.
“We are the second largest agriculture industry as well as the fastest growing industry with huge potential for growth.”
Tania said horticulture had the potential to go from a $10 billion farm gate value to a $20 billion farm gate value in a very short time span.
“The opportunities are there we have to work with government and authorities to ensure Horticulture reaches it’s true potential in a fair and competitive way,” she said.
Voice of Horticulture director, John Dollisson, said Voice of Horticulture’s role on the new committee will ensure any anti-competitive practices in the wholesale and retail sectors are addressed, and that information is disseminated to the right people in a timely manner.
“This will enable VoH to more effectively use the ACCC, Australia’s competition regulator and national consumer law champion, for the benefit and protection of horticulture growers across Australia,” John said.