VG13072 Export Opportunities for Carrots, Sweet Corn, Beans, Broccoli and Baby Leaf – Symposia commenced in February 2014 and encompassed four seminars from 2015-2018:

• Malaysia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) Symposium (2015);
• 2016 Practicalities for Exporting Vegetables Symposium (2016);
• Australian Vegetables Export Seminar 2017 (2017); and
• Australian Vegetables Export Seminar 2018 (2018).

The focus of the project was developing and running a series of seminars that were designed to build the knowledge and capabilities of exporting vegetables to levy-paying growers in the industry. Participants were exposed to engaging presentations from leading figures in the Australian vegetable industry and were given practical and relevant information about exporting vegetable produce to different international markets.

The seminars were outcome-oriented and considered highly valuable by the industry. At the conclusion of each seminar, information that was presented to participants was collated and made available to the wider Australian vegetable industry, including those who were unable to attend, to help achieve the project’s goal of building the industry’s exporting capabilities.

The feedback from the Australian vegetable levy-paying growers who attended the seminars was highly positive, and confirmed a continued need to provide growers at every stage of the export process with information on commencing or strengthening their exporting abilities. The feedback from participants from all seminars clearly stipulates the need and desire for more seminars that provide export-related material to growers.