Australia can adopt commercialised genetically modified (GM) canola
production without compromising its organic agriculture, say new
findings from the Australian Bureau of Agricultural and
Resource Economics (ABARE).
Australian food processors and formulators are set to come under
further pressure to reformulate their products as the country's
latest "Drop The Salt!" campaign kicks off in Sydney
today.
Plans by the New Zealand government to streamline meat inspections
services to a single provider were branded as
"misguided" late last week by one of the country's leading
trade organisations.
Australia's food and beverage sectors dominate the
country's export market, but with global and regional trade
becoming increasingly competitive, their continued health is far
from certain.
An Australian political group has called for the lifting of the
country's legal drinking age to 20, as part of plans to encourage
greater responsibility amongst the country's drinkers.
An Australian standards body working to establish a committee to
rule on organic certification for domestic and imported food
products has denied media reports suggesting that it has finalised
representatives for the group.
New Zealand is proposing to update its dietary supplement
regulations to take into account new food-like delivery formats
that have emerged in the 20 years since they were drawn up.
Australia's dairy industry will see export earnings drop by more
than 24 per cent to under A$2 billion (€1.2bn) in 2006-07 as a
result of the sharp reduction in output because of the drought,
government research predicts.
Globalisation is creating a challenging environment for Australia's
food industry but has also opened up new markets with strong
potential, finds a new report.
Environment campaigner Greenpeace is urging Australian food makers
to resist use of genetically modified canola, which has entered the
market in the wake of a sharp drop in domestic output.
Chocolate giant Cadbury will spend NZ$20 million (€10.3m) to expand
production of chocolate crumb in New Zealand, allowing it to meet
forecast growth in demand from the Asia-Pacific region, it
announced yesterday.
Australian foodmakers, already facing higher wheat prices, can
expect to pay higher prices for canola oil for several months, as
drought leaves the country in short supply.
New consumers of dairy products in the Middle East are taking a
greater share of New Zealand exports, and will continue to be one
of its major growth markets, predicts a new report.
Cholesterol-lowering margarines are set to be joined by
cholesterol-lowering milks, yoghurts and cereals as Australia and
New Zealand's food authority finally approves the new categories.
Australian orange growers have warned that supplies of the fruit
will be tight this year as frost followed by a severe drought has
caused a sharp drop in the Valencia orange crop.
Food miles, the trendy catchphrase alluding to pollution caused by
food exports, is 'a red herring' that detracts from serious
environmental issues to be faced by food producers, says Fonterra's
trade strategy manager,...
Australia's government will work with industry to reduce trans
fatty acids in Australian food, it announced this week, despite
figures that suggest intake of the fats among the population is
within safe limits.
Poultry processors in Australia are expected to implement
'significant price increases' for chicken meat, as drought leads to
surging grain prices, a major production cost for the country's
chicken farmers.
Buyers of Australian dairy products are facing uncertainty over
future supplies and pricing as the country's farmers weigh up the
impact of a prolonged drought on their output.
Australian wheat production may reach less than 10 million metric
tons this year, less than half of normal, due to drought and
late-season freezes, according to industry experts.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has unveiled its new
'Science Strategy' 2006 to maintain safety standards in the food
supply for food processors.
CSR, Australia's largest sugar producer, downgraded its profit
forecast last week, blaming falling global prices and adverse
weather for an anticipated downturn.
Australian dairies will drum up A$15 million in funding over the
next three years to support a new innovation centre that will be
tasked with finding ways to better compete with a challenging
marketplace.
Bakeries in Australia and New Zealand may be required to use only
iodised salt in the future, if a proposal from the countries' food
regulator is approved.
Australian baker George Weston Foods says government plans to
require all bread to be fortified with folic acid are based on
inadequate science and should not be brought into law.
A guide to help the food industry understand new country of origin
labelling rules, set to be launched in Australia this June, has
been unveiled by the country's health minister.
The proportion of value-added food and beverage products exported
from New Zealand has continued to rise steadily against commodity
products, with the value-added sector enjoying growth of nearly 10
per cent in the past five years.
Australian brewer Lion Nathan has responded to last week's
objections by Coopers, the subject of a hostile takeover by the
firm, with similar claims of foul play.
Foster's has taken a streamlined approach to 'brand Australia' on
the world wine market, announcing two wineries will be sold off as
the firm tries to realise cost-savings from its Southcorp buyout.
More productive sugarcane varieties can be delivered two to three
years earlier, say Australian scientists, helping the sugar
industry maintain its productivity and sustainability.
Australian prawn farmers have reacted angrily to the government's
proposed labelling reforms, which could provide the country's food
producers with increased competition from imports, Tom Armitage
reports.
The Australia and New Zealand Food Regulation Ministerial Council
met in Adelaide today to discuss the standards and regulations that
govern the countries' food industries.
Australia's biggest wine producer, Southcorp, has announced an
extensive restructuring designed to counteract the affects of a
downturn in the US economy and a weakened Australian dollar. The
AUS93 million (€53.7m) package involves...
An Australian beef industry leader has indicated that the
Australian beef sector is riding a short-term boom following a
series of bans on US beef exports to major Asian markets.
Thai fruit farmers have won a long battle to get their lychees and
longans onto the Australian market place, breaking a long ban by
Australian authorities which deemed the fruit as a potential
pest-carrying hazard to agricultural...
Red meat sales in Australia are firmly back on the road to
recovery, according to statistics released today from Meat &
Livestock Australia. The figures show a second year of strong
recovery following dwindling sales in the 80s...
