The Liberal Government’s vision to grow Tasmania’s agriculture industry tenfold to $10 billion per year by 2050 is bearing fruit following a monumental week for our state.

The TasInvest Forum, the Free Trade Agreement and the Chinese President’s visit have culminated in unprecedented opportunities for growing the economy, creating jobs and shaping a more prosperous future for all Tasmanians.

As the three-day TasInvest forum winds up today and delegates visit our wineries, fish farms and mineral resource businesses, there is every reason for Tasmanians to feel optimistic that this will result in major projects.

More than 270 delegates, including representatives from eight Chinese Fortune 500 companies took part in the inaugural event, and their interest in Tasmania was overwhelming.

The Liberal Government will now continue to work hard to turn interest into investment, which is made easier following the signing of the Australian China Free Trade Agreement on Monday.

This historic agreement will unlock further opportunities for our primary producers by ensuring our products are competitive in the Chinese marketplace.

For too long our premium export products including dairy, beef and seafood have been disadvantaged by significant tariffs.

The FTA will help Tasmania increase exports to our largest trading partner China, which has an increasing appetite for our fresh, clean and safe foods, particularly in its emerging middle class.

The agreement will see beef tariffs of up to 25 per cent cut within nine years, fruit tariffs of up to 30 percent abolished within four years and seafood free from tariffs of up to 15 per cent in four years.
Importantly, dairy tariffs that range from 10 to 19 per cent will be abolished over the next four to nine years.

This is a significant opportunity for further growth in our dairy industry, which over the past financial year hit a record high, with Tasmania now the third largest producer of dairy products in the country.

Finally, Tasmania’s unique offerings were shared with tens of millions of people in China and the world over through the Chinese President Xi Jinping’s Tasmanian visit yesterday.

Pictures of the President being welcomed by friendly faces, meeting our unique Tasmanian Devils, enjoying our fresh produce, sealing our status as the Gateway to the Antarctic and taking in our beautiful nature from the pinnacle of Mount Wellington was marketing that no money can buy.

The Liberal Government is ready to seize every opportunity that arises after this incredible week for Tasmania, especially in agriculture.

We are rolling out our plan to grow the value of the agricultural sector in Tasmania tenfold to $10 billion per year by 2050.

We allocated $30 million towards a second tranche of irrigation schemes in Circular Head, Evandale, Scottsdale, Swan Valley, and the Southern Highlands.

We are also investing $900,000 more in biosecurity to further protect our agriculture, fishing and aquaculture sectors, because our clean, green brand is one of our most valuable assets.
Jeremy Rockliff, Deputy Premier Minister for Primary Industries and Water