New South Wales Minister for Primary Industries Niall Blair

Recipe To Boost Food Manufacturing Sector

Victor P Taffa

New South Wales Government today launched a new strategy to support New South Wales businesses that are filling plates and satisfying palates around the world, the food and beverage manufacturing industry.

Minister for Trade and Industry Niall Blair said a booming middle class, particularly in Asia, meant that there was ever increasing demand for our high-quality food and beverage products.

“We have an international reputation for clean, green and safe food, and consumers around the world are clamouring for our products.” Minister Blair said.

“This strategy is about supporting our food and beverage manufacturers so that they can make the most of the enormous opportunities before them. We want to help the businesses that are bold enough to take the best of New South Wales to the world.”

“Around 3,600 food and beverage manufacturers employ nearly 70,000 people in New South Wales, making it the largest employer of any manufacturing sector in the state.”

“A strong food and beverage manufacturing sector mean jobs across the state and especially in regional New South Wales. Growing exports from our food and beverage manufacturing sector also benefits our farmers, who see even greater demand for their products at farm gate.” Minister Blair said.

New South Wales Food and Beverage Industry Development Strategy sets out targeted initiatives to build business capability, accelerate the growth of small and medium firms, support the workforce of the future, and increase exports from and investment in New South Wales.

It will complement the initiatives set out in the New South Wales Advanced Manufacturing Industry Development Strategy launched by Minister Blair in 2018.

Strategy will support coordination actions across government, industry and research institutions to ensure that New South Wales food and beverage-manufacturing firms have everything they need to stay at the cutting edge.

New South Wales firms generate more than 30 % of the nation’s food and beverage sales income, totalling in excess of $30 Billion in 2016-17.

New South Wales exports of processed food grew more than 10 % in the 5 years to 2016-17, totalling $4.4 Billion.