China has finally removed crushing tariffs on Australian wine. But re-establishing ourselves in the market won’t be easy

By Weihuan Zhou, UNSW Sydney and James Laurenceson, University of Technology Sydney China’s Ministry of Commerce has finally ended its tariffs on Australian wine, which had been imposed for more than three years at rates as high as 218.4%. The measures have had a catastrophic impact on Australia’s wine exports. In 2019, Australia sold A$1.24…

House committee inquiry into food and beverage manufacturing launched

Following the November release of its report into advanced manufacturing, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Resources has launched another inquiry, this time into food and beverage manufacturing. The committee released the terms of reference for its work on Wednesday, inviting submissions from interested individuals and organisations. It follows a reference…

Pair plan pectin production from food waste

Food ingredient company Pectin 360 says it is using homegrown technology to re-establish pectin production in Australia, something that hasn’t been possible in decades. Pectin is a vegan setting or gelling agent made from fruits and essential for products including jams and preserves, yoghurts, nutraceuticals and confectionery. It’s also currently an obstacle for some local…

Mackay R&D site to get precision fermentation as part of $16 million upgrade

A $3.9 million investment between Queensland University of Technology and the Food and Beverage Accelerator (FaBA) Trailblazer program will add the ability to develop precision fermentation-based ingredients at the Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant (MRBPP.) The plant was established over a decade ago at the Mackay Sugar factory, and has focussed since then on biorefining,…