Minister Byrne promotes Queensland beef in China

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Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net User: Maggie Smith

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Bill Byrne is currently in China, leading a 20-strong North Queensland trade delegation, to promote the state’s beef.

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net  User: Maggie Smith
Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net
User: Maggie Smith

The trade delegation includes Charters Towers Regional Council Mayor Frank Beveridge and CEO Mark Crawley as lead delegates for the North Queensland Regional Organisation of Councils.

According to the Minister’s statement, he will be meeting with investors, buyers and retailers in China over the next week and discussing the benefits of sourcing their beef from Queensland.

“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.

Adertisement

“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.”

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

“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,” the Minister said.

“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.”