The trade mission forms part of the industry’s ongoing efforts to develop export opportunities and strengthen international trading relationships with these important markets. The five-day program took the trade mission delegates through three major export markets, including Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and Bangkok.

In each location the program included a market insights tour, business matching with fresh produce buyers, and networking opportunities with retailers, importers, and wholesalers. The Southeast Asia trade mission delegates also attended the FHA – Food & Beverage trade event in Singapore.

Singapore

The mission began in Singapore with the delegation attending day one of the FHA – Food & Beverage Event at Singapore Expo. FHA is Southeast Asia’s largest food and beverage exhibition. With over 65,000 attendees and exhibitors from more than 50 countries, FHA provides an exclusive platform for businesses to showcase their products and to explore global trends, engage with international buyers, and discover innovative products in the fresh produce sector. The event’s scale and diversity allowed Australian growers to better understand emerging demands and consumer preferences in Asia.

Change in Australian vegetable exports to Singapore

Table 1: January to December 2024. Source: Global Trade Atlas 2025

Singapore is the top destination for Australian fresh vegetable exports, with exports increasing 7 percent last year to be valued at $45 million and totalling 24,737 tonnes. The six most exported vegetables to Singapore are broccoli and cauliflower, carrots, pumpkins, potatoes, and celery.

Australia was the Partner Country for FHA-Food & Beverage 2025, and 2025 marks 60 years of diplomatic relations between Australia and Singapore. This underscores the depth of the bilateral relationship between Australia and Singapore and demonstrates Australia’s broader commitment to the region.

This year, Australian growers had the opportunity to walk through the entire FHA exhibition rather than exhibiting at a stand, as AUSVEG has traditionally done in the past. Having a full day to explore the show allowed participants to better understand the broader market landscape, discover new trends, and meet potential buyers.

Kuala Lumpur
Malaysia

The program in Malaysia commenced with a market briefing at the Australian High Commission in Kuala Lumpur. The delegation was welcomed by Gregory Harvey, Trade and Investment Commissioner, Austrade Malaysia & Brunei, followed by an opening address from AUSVEG CEO, Michael Coote.

The delegation received market access updates from Kate Wiencke, Agriculture Counsellor to Malaysia, who provided insights into regulatory developments affecting market access for fresh vegetable exports to Malaysia. In addition, Patricia Lee, Senior Investment Manager from Austrade Malaysia, provided updates on upcoming initiatives in 2024-25 for the Malaysian market, highlighting opportunities for Australian exporters.

The morning’s discussions were valuable for growers seeking to navigate the complex landscape of import regulations, consumer trends, and logistics in Malaysia. It also reinforced the importance of engagement and collaboration between AUSVEG, Austrade, and DAFF in facilitating trade.

Malaysia is the third-largest export destination for Australian fresh vegetables, with exports valued at $23 million and totalling 21,231 tonnes. The five most exported vegetables to Malaysia are carrots, celery, onion, potato, and spinach.

Change in Australian vegetable exports to Malaysia

Table 2. January to December 2024. Source: Global Trade Atlas 2025

After the briefing, the group visited Euro-Atlantic. With nearly three decades of experience in the industry, Euro-Atlantic has raised the bar in the Malaysian fresh produce import business with their continuous search for new and emerging food sources and heavy investments in state-of-the-art cold rooms and equipment. They are the leading importer and distributor of specialty fruits, vegetables, marine produce and gourmet groceries since 1992.

The afternoon featured a targeted Business Matching and Networking Event at W Kuala Lumpur. This session enabled participants to present their product offerings, discuss potential exports, and lay the groundwork for future collaborations and export opportunities.

Bangkok
Thailand

The Thailand program commenced with a briefing and retail tour with one of Thailand’s leading retailers, CP Axtra, which operates the Makro wholesale and Lotus’s retail chains. The group visited Lotus’s Pattanakarn branch, where CP Axtra executives provided an overview of the Thai retail market and consumer trends, specifically in fresh produce.

CP Axtra was established in 1988 under the name of Siam Makro Company Limited, opening the first Makro branch in Ladprao, Bangkok. In 2023, Makro changed its company name from Siam Makro PCL to CP Axtra.

The group then toured Villa Market at Gaysorn Amarin, another premium retail outlet popular with both local and expatriate communities. These retail visits highlighted the importance of premium branding, packaging requirements, and the increasing demand for traceability and sustainability in food products in Thailand.

Thailand is the fifth-largest export destination for Australian fresh vegetables, with exports valued at $13 million and totalling 13,474 tonnes. The five most exported vegetables to Thailand are onions, carrots, potato, lettuce, and spinach.

Change in Australian vegetable exports to Thailand

Table 3. January to December 2024. Source: Global Trade Atlas 2025

The final day of the mission was packed with high-value engagements, including a business-to-business matching session at Centara Grand Hotel in the morning. The grower-exporters had the opportunities to meet with top Thai importers, distributors and retailers, exploring partnership possibilities, discussing procurement processes, and promoting the high quality, safety, and consistency of Australian vegetables.

The delegation then toured Tops Retail, one of Thailand’s major supermarket chains. A working lunch followed with the Tops Fresh Team, offering deeper insights into procurement priorities and promotional initiatives aimed at increasing demand in premium imported Australian produce.

The trade mission concluded with a cooking demonstration event at ‘The Stage’. A local celebrity chef demonstrated creative dishes using Australian vegetables, showcasing the versatility, flavour, and freshness of Australian produce to the delegation, Tops management team and a captivated audience.

Strategic outcomes and future prospects

The Southeast Asia Trade Mission highlighted the region’s great potential for Australian vegetable exports. Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand are all characterised by rapidly growing middle classes, increasing health consciousness among consumers, and an appetite for premium imported goods. Australian vegetables, known for their good quality and high safety standards, are well positioned to meet this rising demand.

The delegation visited Jaya Grocer in Malaysia, Lotus’s, Villa Market and Tops in Thailand during the trade mission. The retail store visits provided Australian grower-exporters a deeper understanding of supply chain expectations, promotional strategies, emerging consumer preferences, and competitive offerings.

In addition, the trade mission highlighted the important role of market development, market engagement and market intelligence in export success.

Through the Multi-Industry Export Program funded by Hort Innovation, AUSVEG has been provided with great opportunities to showcase the Australian vegetable, onion and melon industry to international buyers and to provide a platform for Australian grower-exporters to engage with international retailers, importers and wholesalers directly to gain feedback as well as allowing growers to better align their products with market needs and consumer demands.

The AUSVEG Southeast Asia Trade Mission also reinforced the importance of ongoing collaboration with Austrade and DAFF, especially through the facilitation of the
business-to-business matching sessions. This government support is critical in assisting the industry and Australian businesses in navigating regulatory requirements, promoting Australian produce abroad, and providing exporters with the tools needed to succeed in competitive markets. The program would not be a success without the ongoing collaboration between the industry and government.

AUSVEG, on behalf of the Australian vegetable and onion industries, would like to acknowledge and thank Austrade and DAFF in Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand for their continued support and effort in assisting the industry to expand its exporting.

Participant reflections

Participants expressed overwhelming appreciation for the tightly organised and action-packed program. Many noted the balance between market briefings, site visits, and business
meetings as a key strength of the mission. The opportunity to meet directly with potential buyers, visit premium retail outlets, and gain insights from in-market experts provided a holistic view of export opportunities and challenges in these markets.

Some growers highlighted the valuable feedback they received during business matching sessions, which would help them refine their product offerings, branding, and logistics arrangements for future exports. Others emphasised the importance of continuous engagement and the need for follow-up communications to convert promising leads into lasting partnerships.

Looking ahead

With Southeast Asia’s economies continuing to grow and their consumers becoming ever more discerning, Australin vegetable, onion and melon grower-exporters are encouraged to maintain their market share through consistent supply and quality.

Building on the momentum of this highly successful mission, AUSVEG plans to organise further initiatives in the region, offering even greater support to Australian growers seeking to expand their international footprint.

As Australian growers continue to deliver high quality produce to the international market, trade missions like this play a crucial role in ensuring that the industry’s future in international trade remains synonymous with quality, safety, and excellence throughout Southeast Asia and beyond.

FIND OUT MORE
Please contact Andrea Lin, International Trade Specialist, AUSVEG andrea.lin@ausveg.com.au or +61 3 9882 0277