Why Australia’s food security depends on a strong supply chain
Freshmark has lodged a submission to the Australian Government’s Feeding Australia: A National Food Security Strategy discussion paper, calling for explicit recognition of the fresh produce supply chain as essential national infrastructure.
Australia’s food security rests on more than on-farm production. Fresh produce cannot be stockpiled; it must be harvested, distributed and consumed quickly. The fresh produce supply chain – spanning growers, packhouses, wholesalers, exporters, providores, independent retailers, transporters and food service businesses, all underpinned by our central markets – keeps food moving every day, including during shocks such as floods, pandemics and supply disruptions. This system is critical to the availability, affordability and consumer choice across metropolitan, regional and remote communities.
Our submission highlights eight priority areas:
- Recognise central markets and wholesalers as critical food security infrastructure.
- Invest in biosecurity innovation and faster, reciprocal trade protocols to manage shocks without weakening standards.
- Ensure fair, enforceable market rules to sustain competition and affordability.
- Support commercialisation pathways that reduce waste and bring innovation to market.
- Address workforce shortages and labour settings that do not reflect the industry’s seven-day operations.
- Tackle rising input costs in transport, tolls, fuel and energy that erode thin margins.
- Streamline compliance to reduce duplication and cost for SMEs.
- Continue investment in regional communities and consumer education to lift fruit and vegetable consumption and normalise imperfect produce.
“Food security is not only about producing food, it’s about ensuring it reaches all Australians, every day, at a fair price, no matter what else is going on in the world,” says Meegan George, Chief Executive Officer of Freshmark. “Without a sustainable, successful supply chain, food security is weakened. With it, Australia has a proven, resilient and fair system that guarantees access to fresh, nutritious food.”
Read Freshmark’s full submission and recommendations here: Response to National Food Security Strategy discussion paper.
What do you think about the fresh produce sector’s role in food security? There will be further consultation on this topic, so we’d love your feedback.
