Joint Media Release: New Year brings new trade opportunities for Australian farmers

Minister for Trade and Tourism and Special Minister of State, Senator The Hon Don Farrell
Minister For Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and Minister For Small Business, Julie Collins MP

As we enter 2025, Australian farmers are well positioned for another strong year of exports, with a range of tariff cuts providing new and improved access to major markets. 

Australia’s network of free trade agreements has continued to deliver valuable opportunities for our red meat, grain, seafood, horticulture and other agricultural industries. 

This includes free trade agreements with the United Kingdom and India, and the recently signed trade agreement with the United Arab Emirates which will deliver even more market access opportunities when implemented.

The Albanese Labor Government’s trade policy agenda of trade diversification has successfully created more global market access opportunities.  

As a result of market access improvements and the hard work of Aussie farmers, agriculture exports are forecast to reach $70.1 billion in 2024–25, the third highest figure on record.

Trade is a job creator – one in four Australian jobs are connected to trade and jobs associated with exports have 10 per cent higher average annual incomes.  

For more information, visit www.agriculture.gov.au/biosecurity-trade/market-access-trade/fta.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell:

“Australia’s prosperity is directly linked to trade. More trade, with more trading partners, means more jobs, more pay, more opportunities, and a lower cost of living.

“The Albanese Government has always backed our farmers, fishers, and foresters to achieve success. The lifting of trade impediments affecting our exports of barley, oaten hay, cotton, timber, wine and seafood to China is testament to what can be achieved by a government that has a steady hand on the tiller. 

"Our job is to continue supporting our primary producers by opening doors for exporters and build on the significant trade outcomes we have achieved since coming to office.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP:

“Trade is critically important to agriculture, and by strengthening the sector we create new opportunities for small business and regional communities, and importantly higher paying jobs both directly in agriculture and across the supply chain.

“Tariff and quota improvements in existing bilateral free trade agreements that take effect this week, as well as exciting gains in new agreements, promise to deliver new and diversified trade opportunities for Australian farmers in 2025.

“For example, Australian red meat exports increased significantly in 2023–24 and are expected to reach a new record in 2024–25, aided by further reductions in tariffs on Australian beef exports to Mexico and Korea and expanded beef quotas under the Australia-United Kingdom FTA.  

The India, UK trade agreements are supporting expanded opportunities and the recently signed FTA with the UAE will provide new opportunities for Australian sheep meat exports”.