Food Freight Forwarders

Are you hoping to export Australian food overseas? If so, you’re not alone – food producers up and down the country are exporting food for consumption in foreign countries. In fact, our nation exports roughly two-thirds of its agricultural produce.

TSL is a food freight forwarder able to organise your food exports from Australia. Our end-to-end logistics service covers both sea freight and air freight, as well as inland travel within Australia and overseas. We’ll use our extensive global network to make exporting food straightforward for your company. We’re a Melbourne shipping agent with a worldwide reach whom you can rely on.

Australian Food Exports

Food exports contribute hugely to Australia’s economy. The industry is worth over $50 billion to our nation and accounts for 12% of its GDP. Australian food exports are subject to strict safety governance and compliance frameworks to maintain the high quality of products and to ensure Australia keeps its place in the international food and drinks industry.

Food Exports from Australia

The main food items exported from Australia are:

1. Beef
2. Wheat
3. Meat other than beef
4. Wine
5. Barley
6. Live animals.

Other edible Australian food exports include oleaginous fruits (such as olives), sugar, honey, fruits and nuts. If you’re a food producer wanting to sell your produce to foreign markets, you can count on TSL to help you out.

Where Is Australian Food Exported To?

China receives around 20% of Australian food exports, while Japan imports just over 10%. The US imports approximately 9% while Indonesia and the Republic of Korea each import around 7.5%. Other countries importing a significant amount of Australian foods are India, New Zealand and Vietnam.

Restricted Food Exports

In order to avoid the spread of plant and animal diseases, the export of certain foods for export from Australia is controlled. Such items are described as prescribed goods. These goods may need a customs export declaration. According to the Export Control Act 1982, the following foodstuffs are classed as prescribed goods:

• Dairy products
• Eggs and egg products
• Fish and fish products (not including fish oil for manufacturing or pharmaceutical purposes)
• Live animals
• Meat and meat products (not including tallow or gelatine, or meat products with less than 5% meat)
• Grains (e.g. barley, chickpeas, oats and lentils)
• Organic produce
• Fresh fruit and vegetables
• Plants and plant products (including mushrooms and sprouts)

Non-prescribed food items

The following food items are not regulated by Australia’s export laws, so can be exported freely (although their export may be affected by the receiving country’s import laws):

• Dried pet food
• Processed foods
• Eggs from animals other than chickens (e.g. ducks, emus)
• Rendered fat, oils and meats
• Honey

Find out more about whether the food item you wish to export is prescribed or non-prescribed from the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

Food Customs Brokers

When exporting food from Australia, there may also be import requirements and tariffs imposed by the importing country. This will depend on the trade agreement between Australia and that country, as well as the importing country’s importation laws. Some items benefit from export quotas to facilitate trade between Australia and certain countries. To find out whether the foodstuff you’d like to export will be subject to an export quota, please see the Export Quotas page of the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources.

TSL: Food Freight Forwarder

TSL is an expert food freight forwarder with well-established links to the top industry suppliers of services in sea freight and air freight from Australia. We have spent several years honing our services and combine expertise with a can-do attitude to ensure we provide a 100% effective logistics service. If you need customs clearance or a local transporter for your food exports, we’ll be able to deliver your cargo on time, every time. To find out more about our services as a professional shipping agent and customs broker, Click Contact link below. We’ll get back to you within 24 hours.