Aussie Fish Farmers To Play Major Role In Bringing Medical Supplies From China
The government has thrown a 'lifeline' to the struggling seafood export industry, promising $110 million to help secure freight flights for exporters in return for valuable medical supplies to be brought back home.
The new initiative will see both agricultural and fisheries exporters jump back into the overseas market, after the industry became one of the heaviest hit when demand for produce dropped rapidly in January.
As well as the organisation of freight flights, the government has also promised to waive around $10 million worth of Commonwealth levies for fishers for the rest of the year.
But while the multi-million-dollar initiative is aimed at assisting struggling farmers and fishers, the government also hopes to use the secured freights to bring back vital medical supplies, medicine and equipment to Australia to help the front line response to the COVID-19 crisis.
Trade Minister Simon Birmingham told the ABC on Wednesday that farmers and fishers have been unable to get their produce to market because around 90 per cent of Australian air freight usually goes out on passenger flights.
"Of course, those passenger flights are no longer coming and so we've got to look at freight solutions so that we can save jobs in those critical agricultural sectors as well," he said.
"Where we possibly can, the back haul on these flights will absolutely be medical supplies, pharmaceuticals, the types of goods that Australia needs at present."
Funds for the initiative will come from the government's already announced $1 billion Relief and Recovery Fund aimed at supporting regions, communities and industry sectors that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19.
Industry leaders have so far welcomed the announcement.
"The Australian seafood industry has been in turmoil since orders to China evaporated on January 24," Seafood Industries Australia (SIA) CEO Jane Lovell said.
According to the SIA, the Australian Bureau of Resources Economics and Sciences had forecast a $389 million fall in fisheries and aquaculture value due to the drop in demand from China following the virus outbreak.
Last financial year, China accounted for approximately 94 per cent of Australia's $752 million rock lobster exports and 42 per cent of its $194 million abalone products.
Lovell said Wednesday's assistance initiative was a 'tick in the box' to restarting exports to global markets.
"For the Aussie seafood businesses who have effectively been without an income for nine weeks, for their employees, and for their families this marks the beginning of a return to normal," she said.
"There's no better stimulus than getting back to work."
While the return of medical supplies on freight planes will be organised by the government -- who will work with Austrade to establish arrangements with exporters, airlines, freight forwarders and industry bodies -- Lovell said the seafood industry was in support of the plan.
"We think the use of the return flights to carry medical supplies is a fantastic idea," she told 10 daily.
Assistant Minister for Forestry and Fisheries Jonno Duniam said it would be a lifeline for Australian fishers.
“The fishing industry was one of the first hit when access to China was cut off in January, bringing many in the industry to their knees,” Duniam said.
“Our seafood industry has been built on the back of some of the toughest and most resilient Australians, and this assistance will ensure the sector can build a bridge to recovery.”