On Friday, the Australian Government announced an additional $260.9 million in funding to extend the International Freight Assistance Mechanism (IFAM) to June 2022.

Government has now provided $1.04 billion to the IFAM program to support Australian exporters to continue to supply international markets.

The extension of IFAM and additional funding support will continue to provide support to maintain critical global air connections between Australian businesses and their international customers.

IFAM provides logistical and administrative support for international freight movements by aggregating cargo loads, negotiating with airlines and dealing with partner governments to facilitate clearances and improve transparency of freight costs during the pandemic.

AUSVEG recommends Australian vegetable exporters maintain regular dialogue with their freight forwarders to understand any changes to flight schedules, capacity and pricing.

For further information, please contact the AUSVEG Export Department on (03) 9882 0277 or at export@ausveg.com.au.