28 January 2016

Australian eggs will soon be on the plates of Taiwanese families, with the first consignment of Australian fresh eggs cleared today in Taiwan.

Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources, Barnaby Joyce, said this lays the foundation for new export opportunities for the egg industry.

'This is an important step forward in strengthening the Australian egg industry's presence in the international market,' Minister Joyce said.

'The first shipment, with more than 21,000 eggs from Australian exporter Sunny Queen Pty Ltd, has arrived safely in Taiwan and has been cleared for release.

'My department has worked closely with Taiwan's Bureau of Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine to make this possible.

'We now have bilaterally agreed certification for Australian eggs and egg products exported to Taiwan.

'I would also like to both thank and congratulate Sunny Queen Australia, who have also been working closely with Austrade and their Taiwanese importer to progress this trade.

'Our egg industry is worth $700 million to the Australian economy.

'I hope to see Taiwan become one of our key egg and egg product export markets, alongside Singapore and Hong Kong.

'This is another tangible outcome of the Coalition Government's international trade and market access efforts that will help deliver better returns to the farmgate​.'

Sunny Queen Australia's Managing Director John O'Hara commented that this was a promising start in a region rich in potential for export opportunity.

'We have a strong focus on innovation in our business, with a team focussed on developing innovative new egg products and meal solutions that deliver on quality, convenience and importantly, food safety,' Mr O'Hara said.

'We believe that this first shipment to Taiwan is just the start of an exciting new direction for our business. The assistance of Minister Joyce and his team has been invaluable in making this happen, and we hope to build on this partnership to drive future growth.'

Australian Government issued this content on 27 January 2016 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 27 January 2016 22:38:28 UTC

Original Document: http://www.agricultureminister.gov.au/Pages/Media-Releases/eggs-crack-taiwan.aspx