AUST MAY MISS ASIAN (EXPORT) FOOD BOOM JUNE 2013
Thursday, June 27, 2013
Aust may miss Asian (Export) food boom June 2013 Australia faces a "real risk" of missing out on the Asia food boom unless it improves its agricultural productivity and infrastructure, according to Australia's second largest wheat exporter, CBH Group. The Australian Financial Review reported that CBH Group chief executive Andrew Crane claims Australia's wheat sector is losing its global competitive edge as it struggles to keep up with cheaper wheat from Russia and elsewhere. "We have seen the world of export trade taken by the former USSR, eastern Europe and India grow since the early '90s from negligible to 30 per cent or more of the global trade," Mr Crane told the AFR. "Russian wheat is materially cheaper now on a tender basis than Australian wheat [into the Middle East]. "A combination of new origins, cheaper origins and integrated supply chains to our traditional markets is challenging Australia." Mr Crane said railways in particular require improvement, in addition to skills development, and that Australia can not take for granted that Asia will turn to Australia to meet its rising demand for food.
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