Austrade helps Aussie Exporters with deals worth over $18 Billion

AUSTRADE HELPS AUSSIE EXPORTERS WIN DEALS WORTH OVER $18 Billion

Austrade has helped a record number of Australian businesses win export deals this financial year, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Trade Mark Vaile said today.

In 2005-06 Austrade helped over 5,000 companies achieve export sales worth more than $18 billion, a 17 per cent increase in the number of companies assisted the previous year, and up from 1,506 companies supported in 2001-02.

These results include helping 1,777 new exporters to make sales in international markets and support to help 28 major enterprises achieve 36 export sales worth more than $100 million each.

"Exporters are the powerhouse of the economy. They are innovative, they grow quickly and they provide high quality jobs. Exporting businesses pay higher wages, provide good working conditions and are highly committed to training and educating their staff," Mr Vaile said.

"The Government is committed to ensuring that businesses have the support and services they need to help them succeed in export."

The principal government program available to help small businesses with the costs of export promotion is the Austrade-administered Export Market Development Grants (EMDG) scheme. In 2005-06, the EMDG scheme provided 3,485 grants, a six per cent increase over the previous year, with associated export sales worth $3.3 billion.

"Austrade offers vital assistance through its specialist industry and market teams. It has a global network of more than 140 offices in over 60 countries, including more than 60 TradeStart offices across metropolitan, regional and rural Australia," Mr Vaile said.

"Over recent years the Australian Government has provided funds to expand Austrade resources to assist businesses access key markets, such as the United States, China and in the last Federal Budget, India."

"The AustraIia-United States Free Trade Agreement now offers exporters unparalleled access to markets in the United States. Since the introduction of the AUSFTA, the Government has expanded Austrades dedicated US network. In 2005-06, Austrade assisted 485 businesses achieve export sales in the US, an increase of more than 30 per cent over the previous year, while the value of these deals grew by more than 60 per cent," he said.