Tasmania has again bucked the national export trend to record the second highest increase of all Australian states, while the national average fell.
In the year to February, Tasmania’s international exports increased by 9.9 per cent to $2.84 billion, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
There were huge gains for our primary producers, with meat increasing by 38.1 per cent, seafood by 46.1 per cent and fruit and vegetables up by 48.5 per cent, while wood and woodchips rose by 75.5 per cent.
This is a great testament to the quality of our produce and the strength of the Tasmanian brand.
Trade with the USA increased by 74.6 per cent to $213 million, and Taiwan recorded a 19.2 per cent increase to $323 million.
Importantly, trade with China, our largest trading partner, increased by 46 per cent to $798 million and now represents 28 per cent of our total international trade.
Mineral related exports to China have increased by 20 per cent, while their demand for our primary produce including seafood is up by 59 per cent.
The increase in trade means more economic activity in Tasmania, and more jobs too.
It is very important that we continue to build on our friendship with China and other important trade-partners, new and old. This work will continue this week when I again travel to China, with the Minister for Arts.
The trip will encompass tourism, education, agribusiness, resources as well as general investment opportunities.
It includes a stop in Singapore, where I will meet with senior Government officials, tourism partners, and senior representatives of the owners of the Basslink cable.
We will travel to Fujian to mark the 35th anniversary of our sister-city relationship, and officially kick-off “Tasmania Week in Fujian”, as agreed under the MoU signed in 2014 when President Xi visited our state.
We will visit Chendu, an agriculture and western financial hub of China, where we will participate in the agribusiness stream of Australia Week in China, and also meet with prospective investors.
At ‘Australia Week in China’ we will participate in key events in Shanghai, including a very important Savour Tasmania business networking event, with existing and potential Tasmanian partners and investors.
We will then travel to Beijing for meetings with Government entities including the State Oceanic Administration of China to further pursue Antarctic engagement, as well as meet with a number of potential investors.
It is very important that we continue to take Tasmania to the world and closely engage with our key trading partners, to foster relationships for our mutual benefit.
Later this year, there will be a trade and investment mission to India, where there is also significant potential. We continue to closely engage with other partners in South-East Asia, Japan as well as the United States.
Tasmanians can be assured that we will continue to work hard to maximise trade opportunities and create even more Tasmanian jobs.