How an FTA helped Carman's sell muesli bars to China

I am looking forward to hosting a breakfast seminar in Melbourne tomorrow where Carman’s Fine Foods will share how a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) helped boost its sales to China. 

Scott Koetsier, Carman’s International Sales Manager, will join representatives from Austrade, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, AusIndustry and Tradestart in offering practical exporting advice to attendees. 

The seminar will cover Australia’s recently signed Peru-Australia FTA and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP-11), as well as agreements Australia has signed with China, Japan and Korea. 

FTAs are providing significant and ongoing advantages for Australian goods and services in markets that comprise a significant proportion of the global economy. 

Tariffs on muesli products exported by Carman’s Fine Foods to China, for example, previously attracted a 25 per cent duty. 

Since the China-Australia Free Trade Agreement entered into force, this has dropped to 5 per cent, and it will fall to zero on 1 January 2019. 

Australia’s FTAs reduce barriers to trade over time, making markets more accessible for our exporters. 

The seminar, from 7.30am on Monday 30 July at Melbourne’s RACV City Club, is part of a series run by Austrade and DFAT across Australia to help businesses use FTAs to grow their presence in international markets. Since March 2015, 100 FTA seminars have been delivered in urban and regional centres around the country. 

Melbourne businesses, including small and medium-sized enterprises and companies who are considering taking their products or services to an overseas market for the first time, are well placed to exploit the opportunities provided by Australia’s FTAs. 

For more information about the FTA seminars, call Austrade on 13 28 78 or email fta@austrade.gov.au