WA Minister joined by CBH representative in Asia visit

10 October 2013

Strengthening important trade and investment relationships is the purpose of Western Australia’s Agriculture and Food Minister Ken Baston’s visit this week to key export markets Vietnam and Thailand.

The Minister has been joined by a representative from the CBH Group which has a 50 percent financial interest in Interflour, which owns six flour mills and a port facility spanning Malaysia, Indonesia and Vietnam. Mr Baston will visit Interflour’s newly-completed flour mill and port on the Thi Via River at Vung Tau in Vietnam.

Mr Baston said he was keen to build relationships with these increasingly significant export markets for the State’s agriculture and food secto and is also profiling Western Australia as an investment destination.

“Vietnam is a major grains customer, with a developing market for horticulture, livestock and dairy products,” Mr Baston said.

Mr Baston is meeting with Government offices involved in trade with WA and is exploring prospects for livestock and grains export.

• WA agrifood exports to Vietnam were valued at $370 million in the 2012-13 financial year with top export commodities including local rock lobster, wheat, malt and canola
• WA agrifood exports to Thailand were valued at $79 million in 2012-13 with export commodities including wheat, cattle skins, malt, pearls, biscuits and prawns