The Grains Industry Market Access Forum (GIMAF) has strategic focus on market access priorities that have the greatest value impact to Australian exporters, and the industry.
GIMAF has developed a process to undertake prioritisation of issues to ensure an appropriate allocation of resources is applied to issues.
Exporting cottonseed into the United States remains high on the agenda of the GIMAF and Biosecurity Australia despite a setback in early January.
Australian cottonseed is a product in demand by US importers and it has been estimated that the trade could be worth up to $100m per year.
Protracted negotiations regarding APHIS supervision of methyl bromide fumigation in Australia had resulted in an agreement in mid 2011 for the fumigation to be performed under AQIS supervision only. Methyl bromide is used to address the possible presence and risks associated with the fungal disease Fusarium oxysporum.
However, on January 6, 2012, the use of Methyl Bromide on cottonseed for stockfeed imported to the US was banned.
Biosecurity Australia has technical discussions with US authorities planned for the beginning of February 2012 and, in consultation with GIMAF, will continue to pursue an outcome that will allow the trade to recommence without the use of Methyl Bromide.
The Grains Industry Market Access Forum (GIMAF) has strategic focus on market access priorities which have the greatest value impact to Australian exporters, and the industry.
GIMAF has developed a process to undertake prioritisation of issues to ensure an appropriate allocation of resources is applied to issues.
At its meeting on 8 February 2012, the GIMAF board will be forming a committee to adjudicate the prioritisation process.
Exporters are weighed down by the logistical and financial burden caused by mandatory Methyl Bromide fumigation on pulse exports to India.
Grains Industry Market Access Forum (GIMAF) Executive Manager Tony Russell reports that Biosecurity Australia pressed the issue with Indian quarantine authorities in technical discussions in 2011.
Follow up discussions are planned in the first quarter of 2012.
Mr Russell has briefed Slava Zeman, the new Agriculture Counsellor who is taking up her posting in New Delhi at the end of January 2012, to ensure a sound understanding of the primary issues facing grains exporters to India.
GIMAF recently accompanied Minister Ludwig to the Republic of Korea where Minister Ludwig held discussions with the Korean Ministers for Agriculture and Trade on the bilateral agricultural relationship, and the Australia-Korea FTA negotiations.
Minister Ludwig spent time underlining Australia’s position regarding agriculture in the FTA negotiations. Korea’s focus has been distracted by the debate over the ratification of the Korea-United States Free Trade Agreement (KORUS). This has slowed progress in the Australia-Korea negotiations but Australia is making every effort to bring the FTA with Korea to a successful conclusion as soon as possible.
Minister Ludwig expressed his hope that Australia and Korea can conclude the FTA in the near future on terms that provide Australian farmers with similar access to that achieved by the United States under the Korea-United States FTA. The Minister noted that a level playing field in the Korean market for agriculture would be in the long-term interests of both countries.