The Australian seafood industry has again mounted a dominant presence at this year’s European Seafood Expo in Brussels.
The prestigious European Seafood Expo attracts buyers from more than 100 countries in the world.
The seafood industry’s presence is made possible by the Australian Seafood Industry Council (ASIC) with particular assistance from member organisation Western Australian Fishing Industry Council (WAFIC) and Austrade.
European Union (EU) member states form a $40 billion seafood imports market, making it the world’s largest import opportunity.
“The value of Australian seafood exports into EU has doubled in less than a decade to $93m, with 10 new member countries added in May 2004 this figure can only continue grow,” says ASIC CEO Russ Neal.
“The Australian contingent of over 40 companies from every State, have joined with exhibitors from the rest of the world to show every category of seafood imaginable - products include fresh, canned, frozen, and value-added seafood; storage, processing, and handling equipment; and a host of seafood-related services including freight-handling, insurance, and information technology.
“Europe is an increasingly important market for the Australian seafood industry and it is important that we continue to build on the work that has been achieved by people such as last years Prix d’Elite winners from South Australia, Ferguson Australia.
“A large part of this process is to educate the European market of our premium products like rock lobster, abalone, scallops and prawns. This is because while Europe and Brussels in particular, are considered sophisticated markets, they are not as used to buying or paying for premium product as the Asian market,” Mr Neal says.
Organiser of the Australian presence in Brussels, Mr Richard Stevens, says if companies are thinking about exporting, they can obtain a copy of the Australian Government/ASIC guide: “A$40 billion reasons to access the EU seafood market”.
The guide outlines in careful detail the institutions and legislative processes that create Europe’s import structure. Copies of the Europe guide are available free of charge at www.daff.gov.au or DAFF on 02 6272 5573 or ASIC 02 6281 0383.
The new Europe publication is a companion to an American seafood sales guide - a market just short in size to the combined European nations.
