Queensland and Ag minister focused on Japanese fruit export market

Japan is Queensland's third-largest agricultural export market and the state government has identified growth potential for exporting fruit and vegetables.

The four-day delegation was led by Agriculture Minister Mark Furner and included representatives of Pacific Coast Eco Bananas, Daintree Fresh, Harrowsmiths International, and Bowen Gumlu Growers Association.

BGGA CEO Ry Collins said the primary goal was to showcase melons, mangoes, pumpkins, and bananas.

Those commodities were represented because there were market access restrictions on other commodities in Japan due to fruit fly, with imported produce requiring hard inedible skin.

"... it's trying to increase the awareness of the product we grow and the potential for it in that market, make them more comfortable about how we grow and that we do grow in a sustainable way," Mr Collins said.

"Japan produces some of its own fruit and vegetables but it's only around 30pc of what their total needs are.

"We wanted to do more to make sure it's our product they're importing rather than from other countries."

In August the state government committed $130 million to the Fresh and Secure Trade Alliance (FASTA) to solidify Australia's reputation in pest-management and as a responsible trading partner.

Research initiatives would include new technology for tracking, trapping, and reducing pressure from fruit fly.

Mr Collins said while there were treatments available, such as x-ray technology that essentially sterilised pests on the produce, Japan did not currently accept that as a viable option.

"There are technological means and ways that we could possibly address some of these market issues to really grow the amount of different types of commodities we could send there."

He was hopeful those options would increase in the future.

Minister Furner said despite Japan being a mature market with price-sensitive consumers, Queensland's food and fibre had a reputation for quality.

"We have an opportunity to export even more of our premium meat, fruit and vegetables, seafood and fibre products, which means more jobs in our agricultural supply chains and regional communities," he said.

"Building strong, trusted and long-term relationships is the key to trade and investment success."

The growers also attended a Taste of Queensland horticulture celebration, where produce was presented to wholesale and retail buyers, and visited Japan's largest fresh produce wholesale market.

It was there Innisfail grower Frank Sciacca from Pacific Coast Eco Bananas saw a display of his company's first ever shipment of bananas to Japan.

They have been exporting into Hong Kong and Singapore since 2009, but this was the first time their bananas, identified by the red wax trip, had been sent to Japan.

During the trip Mr Sciacca met with researchers interested in his company's Ecoganic method, which prioritises a balanced system, does not use pesticides, and reduces nutrient inputs.

It also focuses on building up the soil, protecting waterways, and maximising the input of insects and animals instead of competing with them.

"We had a session with some of the researchers in Japan and they looked at our method and said they would like to work together and communicate moving forward with our progress in Ecoganic," he said.

"They would also like to move in this direction as well."