David Bushby (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

At the request of Senator O'Sullivan, I move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes the valuable boost to Australia's horticultural exports generated by increased free trade agreements with Asia which have led to improved farm gate returns, including:

(i) mango exports to Korea for the 2014-15 season more than doubling those of the 2013-14 season, with exports now up to around 12 per cent of total production,

(ii) industry experts predicting that cherry exports from Tasmania could rise as much as 25 fold, with exports to Korea increasing from virtually nothing to almost $4 million in 2015,

(iii) new market access for table grapes seeing exports to Japan worth around $10 million, and exports to Korea worth over $2.5 million, and

(iv) key horticulture exports, including asparagus, mangoes, olives and macadamias now face zero tariffs entering Japan, and cherries from Tasmania, almonds and dried grapes enter Korea duty free; and

(b) notes the resulting increase in job opportunities created by this growing export market.

Question agreed to.