The project “Evaluation & resource development to advance Australian agriculture export traceability: A study of seafood & horticulture trade with Vietnam”. This research is part of a national program initiated by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) that aims to increase trust in Australian agricultural exports to South-East Asia. The project is valued at $320,000 and is scheduled to run over two years (2024–2026). The study is led by Associate Professor Robin E Roberts of Griffith University, who serves as the Principal Investigator.
The main objective of the project is to develop data-enabled and evidence-based traceability systems and tools to strengthen Australia’s trade agenda. The specific purpose of the system developed in this project is to provide evidence regarding the Australian provenance (origin) of the products. This initiative seeks to protect the reputation of Australian agricultural products sold in Vietnam and Southeast Asia, and ensure export markets receive genuine Australian produce while eliminating food fraud. Furthermore, the project aims to explore Vietnamese consumers’ willingness to pay for premium priced Australian produce. The pilot focuses on high-value products exported to the Vietnamese market, including seafood (Murray Cod) and horticulture (cherries, stone fruit, and grapes).
The partners involved in the project include:
- Commissioned Organisation: Griffith University, with Assoc. Prof. Robin E Roberts as the Principal Investigator.
- Project Collaborators: Researchers from Flinders University.
- Contracted Activity Teams: Beak Analytics and Traceverified. TraceVerified is a leading provider of traceability solutions and services in Vietnam, responsible for providing the software tool used to record Key Data Elements (KDEs) at Critical Tracking Events (CTEs).
- Industry Partners for Pilot Testing:
- Seafood (Murray Cod): Producer Aquana (Australia) and the Vietnamese retailer Annam Gourmet.
- Horticulture (Fruits): Producers include Cherry Hill Orchards (Australia) and The Montague Tree (Australia), also referred to as Montague Farms. The Vietnamese importer/retailer for horticulture products is Klever Fruits.