Speaking at the Agrifood Skills Australia conference in Sydney today, AFGC chief executive Kate Carnell highlighted that the agribusiness sector – which includes Australia’s $100 billion food, grocery and beverage industry – has remained resilient during the global financial crisis when many other industries have declined.

“The agrifoods industry remains strong and continues to grow despite the economic downturn and the challenges of food security, climate change, increasing populations and Asia’s growing middle class,” Ms Carnell said.

“The agribusiness sector has the potential to be the best performing industry of the future, overshadowing previous boom industries- it’s essential to everyone’s daily needs, and supplies safe, healthy and sustainable products to the world.”

Australia’s $208 billion agribusiness sector – which feeds more than 60 million people worldwide - employs more than 900,000 people and has continued to be a key export earner for Australia.

“While facing these (current economic) challenges, the agrifoods industry has played a major role in keeping our nation out of recession,” Ms Carnell said.

The latest Australian Bureau of Statistics figures on Australia’s GDP show:

• Agriculture has grown by 3 per cent between June 08 and June 09

• Food manufacturing has increased by 5.4 per cent over the same period.

Other leading economic indicators, including the Commonwealth Bank Agribusiness Index, have forecast that this economic growth in agrifoods is expected to continue into the foreseeable future.

Ms Carnell said the agribusiness industry continued to offer a broad range of fulfilling jobs from farmers to corporate offices in New York.

“In this industry, you can be a food scientist, accountant, factory manager, marketer or a farmer and be employed anywhere across the globe,” Ms Carnell said.

“For Australia’s agribusiness industry to further increase its percentage share of the world market, it must grow its exports through more value-adding,” Ms Carnell said.

*Source: ABS - Australian National Accounts: National income, Expenditure and Product - September 2009.