The Australian Food Industry Sectors

Agri-food Chain Production and supply of food is known as the agri-food chain. The AFI consists of 4 sectors that rely heavily on one another: Agriculture & Fisheries Food Processing & Manufacture Food Service & Catering Food Retail

1. Agriculture & Fisheries Agriculture is the cultivation of land to produce food derived from plant and animal sources. Fisheries involves the commercial catching of fish and other marine species

1. Agriculture & Fisheries Nearly 90% of the total value of Australian agricultural production comes from food. Main cereal crops: wheat, oats, barley, rice, maize and sorghum. Australia’s dairy industry ranks third in the world and is the largest processed-food industry in Australia. Majority of milk in Australia is exported in the form of: cheese, milk powder, butter, casein and whey powder.

1. Agriculture & Fisheries Meat industry is well established and a significant export item. Internationally Australia is the second largest exporter of beef. Main exports: beef, lamb, pork, poultry, game and exotic meats. At home chicken is the most popular meat among consumers followed by beef.

1. Agriculture & Fisheries Fisheries contribute to the agri-food chain through both commercial fishing for fish and aquatic species for human consumption and industrial fishing for fish destined for products such as fish oil, and fertiliser.

1. Agriculture & Fisheries Aquaculture is an area growing in popularity and involves cultivating and harvesting aquatic plants (such as seaweed and marine algae) or animals (such as clams, oysters and salmon).

2. Food Processing & Manufacture The processing of raw produce before it reaches the consumer.

2. Food Processing & Manufacture Most food produced in the agriculture and fisheries sector undergoes some form of processing before being sold to the consumer. This includes “value adding” steps, such as, convenient packaging, or heating, cooling, grinding, milling and separating. The value-adding sector is the largest sector of the agri- food chain.

3. Food Service & Catering The preparation and service of food to customers. Also known as the Hospitality Industry.

3. Food Service & Catering It involves all food items served to customers in eg: School canteens Restaurants Takeaway food stores Catered functions Hospitals Prisons Airline flights etc

4. Food Retail Places in which raw or value added products can be purchased.

4. Food Retail Food retailers vary in size and dominance and include large, national food chains such as Woolworths and Coles and smaller stores such as corner shops, petrol stations butchers and bakers.

4. Food Retail Food retailers vary in size and dominance and include large, national food chains such as Woolworths and Coles and smaller stores such as corner shops, petrol stations butchers and bakers.

Activity Read Case Study: ‘No Bananas for Nine Months’ - Pages 147-148 Food Technology in Action 4th ed. Answer questions 1-5.

Activity Think of a food product and use a flow diagram to show how each sector contributed to the final product reaching the consumer.