beyond pt 0 23/1

seeks to provide a point of reference for customers, both domestic and
overseas, looking to purchase Australian food and beverage products over
the Internet.
Box 12.3
FoodConnect Australia 31
The Federal Government’s ‘Supermarket to Asia’ Council in collaboration with Telstra
and the food industry have recently piloted an e-commerce initiative called
‘FoodConnect Australia’. FoodConnect aims to be Australia’s prime online channel
through which food and beverage products are to be exported.
The potential benefits to participating businesses include:
• access to customers in Australia and overseas;
• communication with customers in Australia and overseas;
• at a later stage, a facility for clearing bureaucratic clearances, as well as
arranging transport and payment;
• fast and secure information transfer; and
• a comprehensive online catalogue.
Source:
See the FoodConnect Australia website at www.foodconnect.com.au
State Government’s are also assisting the agricultural industry by
providing websites showcasing each State’s industry with the objective to
improve each industry’s international competitiveness. South Australia’s
Food Online, Victoria’s Food Victoria, and Queensland’s Food
Manufacturing websites provide directories of food producers as well
advice and information for food producers. Even some regional
municipalities have shown an interest in establishing websites to help
promote local businesses.
Other organisations such as Farmwide are providing online services, such as
chat rooms, discussion groups and facilities to create home pages, as well as
regular provision of information such as stock prices and weather reports.
Cost savings are likely to arise from the more efficient operation of
markets, for example, the provision of online customs clearance and other
bureaucratic requirements, electronic payment options, online ordering,
and the provision of other information. Also, greater access to markets
through e-commerce increases the potential for competitive producers to
sell to a wider audience.
It remains to be seen to what extent this will apply for the selling of high
volume commodities. In the case of the sale of the wheat, currently
marketed and sold by the Australian Wheat Board, it is difficult to see the
Internet opening access to new markets. The main benefits may be in
services to growers (e.g. providing quick and accurate price information),
and in facilitating cooperation between growers through transfer of
information and communication. Once again the main issue appears to be
giving growers access to telecommunications networks and IT hardware.
In the case of wool, the Australian Wool Exchange recently commissioned
an electronic selling trial of wool, to determine the most appropriate sale
method. Several different auction arrangements are being trialed,
including a sequential auction process, Tender (Private and Public)
auction, Offer Board, semi sequential and simultaneous auctions. The
current trial is based on a Local Area Network, with an expansion to a
Wide Area Network further down the track.
31 See the FoodConnect Australia website at www.foodconnect.com.au
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