Welcome to the AEGIC Insider newsletter, your source for insights and information from AEGIC’s recent work in Australia’s key grain markets. Engaging with customers face to face allows us to demonstrate hands-on the specific benefits of Australian wheat and other grains. Importantly, it also gives customers the chance to give us feedback on any issues they may be having with Australian grain quality or supply.
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AEGIC supported a Western Australian Government delegation to China in early April 2024 to help strengthen industry and government connections and explore new opportunities for Australian wheat, barley, oats and other grains.
Led by Western Australian Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis, the delegation included AEGIC, CBH Group, Grain Industry Association of WA (GIWA) and InterGrain. The group met with AB InBev, one of the largest brewers in the world, and other stakeholders in the Chinese brewing and malting industries to strengthen connections with Australia’s largest barley market.
The delegation also met with PepsiCo to discuss opportunities for new oat products, and the potential for oats to be used in meals beyond breakfast. There is significant interest in China in the benefits of increased oat consumption. AEGIC’s product innovation in oat noodles and oat rice aims to address this opportunity.
Australian grains are highly regarded in China, with barley the largest export. In 2023, following the removal of tariffs, nearly 3 million tonnes of barley worth $1.2 billion was exported from Australia to China, with more than half from WA (source: ABS). Chinese customers prefer Australian barley because of its high quality and excellent performance for brewing, malting and feed.
GIWA Executive Officer Peter Nash, InterGrain CEO Tresslyn Walmsley, CBH Head of Government & Industry Relations Rob Dickie, WA Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis, and AEGIC Barley and Oat Quality Program Manager Jack King
While tariffs were in place, AEGIC continued to engage with the Chinese barley industry to help them stay connected and informed, providing information on new varieties, accreditation developments and industry updates.
In late (September) 2023, following the removal of tariffs, AEGIC hosted two major Australian Barley Technical Conferences in Beijing and Guangzhou. The events, delivered on behalf of Grains Australia, and the Australian Government’s Agricultural Trade and Market Access Cooperation program (ATMAC) supplied Chinese customers with timely and practical information on new barley varieties, industry developments, advances in malting and brewing processes, and Australian barley production.
Access to the latest technical information from the Australian grains industry is highly appreciated by customers, because it helps them optimise the value of Australian grain and increases the likelihood they will choose grain from Australia.
AEGIC will continue to work with the Australian grains industry to maintain and strengthen connections with Chinese grain buyers.
AEGIC is an initiative of the Western Australian State Government and Grains Australia
