The growing appetite for beef and lamb farmed in Victoria, Australia in both China and the USA has helped drive the value of the state’s food and farm exports into another record-breaking year. Victoria’s total food and fibre exports reached $11.4 billion last financial year, up $1.2 billion, or 12 per cent, over the previous year, which had set its own record.
Victorian farm exports to China have more than doubled over the past decade as millions of the country’s residents move towards consuming Western-style diets. In the past financial year alone, food and fibre exports to China climbed by nearly $350 million, boosted by high demand for meat and grain.
The figures have been complied in the Victorian Food and Fibre Export Performance Report 2013-14, released last week.
The report noted the significance of China as booming export trade market: “With higher incomes, urban consumers will continue to increase expenditure on premium food products, restaurants and products”.
