Jakarta trade office to push Queensland agriculture

QUEENSLAND export office in Jakarta will push to increase agricultural trade with Indonesia.

Queensland Treasurer Tim Nicholls started a south-east Asian trade mission in the Indonesian capital where he opened the office.

He said the office would push for more Queensland agricultural products to be imported to Indonesia.

“Queensland’s food and agriculture sector is valued at more than $14 billion per year and is our state’s second-biggest export earner, contributing more than $13 billion to the state’s economy,” he said.

Queensland opposition leader Annastacia Palaszczuk supported the trade mission when Mr Nicholls’ announced it last month.

Mr Nicholls said the Trade and Investment Queensland office had been designed to push the state’s products into the Indonesian market.

“With Queensland’s two-way merchandise trade with Indonesia valued at $2.3 billion last financial year, maintaining and further strengthening our ties is an important part of opening up business opportunities now and creating the jobs of the future.

“There are also important avenues for substantial growth in areas such as financial, education and other services where we have established markets with room to expand.”

The trade mission left on Saturday and visited Singapore before Jakarta.

– APN NEWSDESK