Marketing levy at work in Asia

Marketing levy at work in Asia

23-Aug-2018

THE 2018–20 Citrus Marketing Strategy has hit the ground running with two trade seminars held during May in Japan to launch the start of the Australian navel orange season. 

This is the second year that Hort Innovation has run the Australian citrus trade seminars in Japan as part of ‘Taste Australia’ — an in market export activity that aims to promote Australian produce in current and future export markets.

The Japanese trade was well represented at both seminars with more than 50 attendees in Osaka and 100 attendees in Tokyo.

Ben Cant, Chair of Citrus Australia, presented key insights about the Australian citrus industry.

He explained that the Australian citrus industry is experiencing growth in production, confidence in the industry is strong, and there is increased investment on farm and in packing shed infrastructure. Australia is also the latest producer of navels in the southern hemisphere with capacity to supply Japanese consumers access to fresh citrus all year around.

Also present from Citrus Australia was David Daniels, Market Access Manager, who highlighted the commitment of four million dollars through research investment annually to grow the world’s best colour and sweetness of any citrus.

The Japanese market demands citrus from a clean and safe environment. The presentation went on to emphasise the Australian Citrus Quality Standards and the tests used in the postharvest program.

Joseph Ling, Managing Director of AGRIFresh and Greg Noble, Director and Manager RJN Nominees PTY Ltd, represented Australian citrus growers and answered questions from the 230 Japanese retailers and importers who attended.

Hon. Richard Court AC, Ambassador to Japan welcomed the proceedings in Tokyo. In Osaka, David Lawson, Senior Trade Commissioner and Consul General opened the trade seminar.

The program also highlighted the benefits of the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA) which was praised for reducing tariffs since 2015. This includes out-of-season oranges which are at 8.7%, nearly half of what it was before the free trade agreement. Furthermore, when the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) comes into force, the tariffs in October, November and December will reduce to zero over six to eight years.

For the first time, Hort Innovation also provided samples of fresh Australian orange juice at the seminars after the speeches during the networking session.

Other activities

In addition, as part of this season’s orange marketing activity, the industry is:

• Commencing the first export consumer insights projects over two stages.
• Developing a library of premium images and content for use in marketing activities and to represent the industry.
• Continuing the export marketing campaigns under the ‘Taste Australia’ Retail Program in the key priority markets of China, Japan, Philippines and Vietnam.

MORE INFORMATION
These industry marketing initiatives are managed by Hort Innovation and are funded by the orange marketing levy. For more information, contact Dianne Phan on (02) 8295 2350 or dianne.phan@horticulture.com.au.