29-year-old Kirtan Parekh is visiting Australia for the first time.
An organic agricultural products manufacturer from Gujarat, Mr Parekh has been exporting to Australia for the last two years. However, his first visit as an exhibitor at the Fine Food Australia has been an eye-opener.
“Now, I understand why they emphasise so much on quality. I have been exporting to the Australian market for two years now but, this visit has made me realised what the market is like,” Mr Parekh told SBS Hindi.
Several Indian exhibitors participated in the Fine Food Australia, a leading trade event for the food industry held in Sydney from September 9 to 12.
Organised by the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), the participating Indian companies displayed products like spices, rice, lentils and other traditional Indian produces.
However, there was a particular focus on packaged and processed food.
“Millennials’ lifestyle has more space for processed and packaged food. We are trying to capture this market with our products,” Savji Thanth of Mahir food told SBS Hindi.
Mr Thanth has been participating in the Fine Food Australia for several years now. He says the learnings have been precious.
“Australia is a very quality conscious and very steady market. We find that very energetic. For instance, if someone demands a special quality, they mean it. And we have to deliver accordingly,” Mr Thanth said.
Trade relations between India and Australia have been growing steadily in the last decade.
According to the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, India is Australia’s fifth-largest export market and the tenth-largest trading partner overall.
Australian investment in India totalled $10.6 billion at the end of 2015, and Indian investment in Australia $11.6 billion, according to the DFAT.
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