SA produce loved at home and abroad

Having taken centre stage at this week’s Royal Adelaide Show, new stats show South Australia’s primary produce is also receiving well deserved recognition globally, with the state’s premium meat, nuts, fruit and vegetables, dairy and eggs contributing more than $1.7 billion to our export economy, up more than 22 per cent.

New statistics released this week by the ABS show that South Australian producers have exported $1.1 billion of meat (+28 per cent), $300 million of nuts (+10 per cent), $181.8 million of fruit and veg (+14 per cent), and $157.8 million of dairy and eggs (+23 per cent) in the 12 months to July.

South Australia’s total merchandise goods exports across this period totalled $17.5 billion, remaining near record highs, and 59 per cent higher than four years ago, with our primary producers doing their part to market their premium products to the world.

Local exports to China have remained at record high levels, valued at $4.23 billion, up 48 per cent on the previous year, with $134 million (+21 per cent) worth of South Australian almonds making their way to our largest export partner since August 2023.

Over the period of the Show, SA’s sister province, Shandong, has exhibited 10 of its businesses within the Jubilee Pavilion for the first time since before Covid.

Exports to the United States once again saw growth, with $2.06 billion of South Australian merchandise goods heading to our second largest export market, up 28 per cent on the previous year.

Quotes

Attributable to Joe Szakacs

Hundreds of thousands of South Australians would have had the chance to see our incredible primary produce on exhibit at the Show in the past week.

What they would have seen is a just snapshot of the tonnes of fruit and veg, meat, dairy, eggs and nuts that make their way across the world each year, contributing more than $1.7 billion to our state’s economy.

Across these industries we’ve seen more than $300 million worth of growth year on year, and our Government remains committed to helping these industries to maintain that growth.

I was in China at the end of last month and saw firsthand the enormous opportunities for our South Australian exporters in-market, particularly within the food, wine and agribusiness sector.

It is also pleasing to see South Australia continue to grow its merchandise exports in a number of other key markets of priority, including the United States, our second top merchandise export market.