Innovation is at the heart of the industry’s competitiveness into the future and its success at capitalising on the huge potential for export growth into Asia. Innovation in both products and production processes hold the key to:
- Raising productivity
- Improving competitiveness in both domestic and export markets
- Opening up new markets
- Responding effectively to consumer trends.
Governments must back the innovative capacity of Australian manufacturers through R&D tax incentives and accelerated capital depreciation to maintain and enhance the industry’s competitiveness. The AFGC strongly supports enhanced collaboration between researchers and industry; improved industry technical capabilities especially SMEs; assistance with information failures related to supply chains; improve insights (especially for Asia) and increasing the attractiveness of Australian for foreign investment in R&D.
The Food and Agribusiness Growth Centre – Food Innovation Australia Ltd – continues to provide and effective platform to build on Australia’s comparative advantages in the food processing sector including:
- Skilled workforce and strength in R&D
- Well established multinational companies and an agile and innovative SME cohort
- High quality food safety and hygiene systems
- Proximity and familiarity with growing Asian markets
- Proximity to high quality “clean and green produce
- Advance marketing and design expertise.