Victoria Premier Ted Baillieu

Victoria Deputy Premier Peter Ryan

Victoria Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan

Food Processing Forum Brings Leaders Together

Victor P Taffa

Leaders of Victoria’s major food processors joined Premier Ted Baillieu and senior Coalition Government ministers in Melbourne today to address key challenges facing the state’s multibillion food processing industry.

In the face of both global and domestic challenges, Mr. Baillieu said the Victorian Food Processing Forum provided industry leaders an opportunity to help shape the government’s decisions on future initiatives and policies.

“The Victorian Coalition Government understands the important role the food processing sector plays in supporting the economies of regional communities.” Mr. Baillieu said.

 “Up to 28,000 people are employed in food processing in regional Victoria, which is around 30% of all of Victoria’s regional manufacturing jobs.”

“In fact, food product manufacturing is the largest employing manufacturing sub-sector in Victoria.”

VIC Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional and Rural Development Peter Ryan, who led proceedings at today’s event, said open and robust participation in would ensure both industry and government had a clear path to strengthening the sector.

“The forum will look at how government and industry can work together to increase productivity through improving transport and the efficient use of resources such as water and energy.” Mr. Ryan said.

Mr. Ryan said the food and beverages sector also played a major part in Victoria’s trade performance generating over $4.8 Billion in exports in 2010-11.

“The Coalition Government wants to support continued growth in this vital manufacturing and export sector and will work with industry to identify opportunities such as the development of new international markets.” Mr. Ryan said.

Participants in the forum included Minister for Agriculture and Food Security Peter Walsh, Minister for Manufacturing Exports & Trade Richard Dalla-Riva as well as representatives of 17 of the state’s major food processors, the Victorian Farmers’ Federation and the Victorian Employers’ Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VECCI).