A north-west Tasmanian vegetable producer is betting big on Asian exports as Australian farms churn out more produce than the domestic market can absorb.
Harvest Moon owner Mark Kable said exports currently make up 20% of his business, a figure he expects to rise to 35% within five years.
“Australian veggie farms can grow enough to feed 45 million mouths, yet there’s only 27 million in Australia,” Kable said.
“When all seasons and all areas are producing, there’s a massive oversupply.”
“Exports for Australia and for Tasmania and for Harvest Moon are a must.”
The family-run operation, which has been operating since 1981, this week hosted a delegation of nearly 20 international buyers from eight south-east Asian countries.
Tasmania’s goods exports have reached $4.6 billion, with total exports now exceeding $6 billion, according to Deputy Premier Guy Barnett.
“Our exports are going up. The rest of the nation is going slightly down or are stagnant,” he said.
Kable said his company had shifted away from European markets over the past decade to focus on Asia, with Japan now a major customer.
Landlocked nations and city-states like Singapore and Hong Kong are driving demand for Tasmanian carrots, onions, broccoli and leafy greens.
Celery has also emerged as a surprise performer.
“There’s a lot of demand for [celery] in Asia at the moment,” Kable said.
While Australian labour costs are higher than competitors such as China, Kable said quality and food safety give local growers a competitive edge.
“Yes, we may be a little bit dearer … but it’s the quality and the fact they know our food safety record is spot on,” he said.
“That’s what they keep coming back for.”
Kable said trade delegations organised with government support were invaluable for building relationships that would otherwise be difficult to secure.
Several buyers on the current mission are already Harvest Moon customers, but he said the company was keen to win over new prospects.
“[We want to] show them the Tasmanian way and hopefully do some business with them in the future,” he said.
