Houston’s Farm works towards agreements with Alibaba, Win-Chain after Tasmanian Government’s Asia trade mission

Houston’s Farm chief executive Richard Hopkins has hailed Tasmania’s two-week trade mission through Asia as the most valuable international engagement his business has enjoyed.

Premier Will Hodgman with Richard Hopkins of Houston's Farm. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

HOUSTON’S  Farm chief executive Richard Hopkins has hailed Tasmania’s two-week trade mission through Asia as the most valuable international engagement his business has enjoyed.

Representatives from the Forcett salad leaf grower were among the delegation travelling through China, with special mention given to a meeting held with produce importers Win-Chain and popular online marketplace Alibaba.

Mr Hopkins said the potential opening in the valuable but difficult-to-access Chinese market was made available thanks largely to a memorandum of understanding the Tasmanian Government signed with Win-Chain.

MORE: HODGMAN REJECTS CHINA CONCERNS

Houston’s Farm will work to secure contracts with Win-Chain and Alibaba that Mr Hopkins said would bring millions of dollars to the company and allow it to hire dozens more staff.

“If we can get these contracts it will increase jobs in the area significantly,” Mr Hopkins said.

“I think the issue is going to be our capacity to actually produce, not their willingness to purchase our products.”

Fruit Growers Association of Tasmania chief executive Stuart Burgess said Asian buyers were unperturbed by issues with fruit fly and, nationally, needles in fruit.

Premier Will Hodgman with Richard Hopkins of Houston's Farm. Picture: NIKKI DAVIS-JONES

He said the focus was on working towards flights between Hobart and China that would shave a day off the transportation of fresh produce.

“It’s something that would help our business enormously and we’re willing to support the airport and the Government in that aim,” Mr Burgess said.

Premier Will Hodgman said much of the infrastructure was in place for international flights with customs and biosecurity facilities to be delivered by Hobart Airport within a year.

“It’s not uncommon for other jurisdictions in Australia to have to make a significant contribution of public funds to secure such a service,” Mr Hodgman said.

“We’ll only ever do that if it’s going to be sustainable and in Tasmania’s long-term best interests, but the work’s ongoing.”

The delegation of Tasmanian industry leaders, business owners and government staff spent 15 days across Hong Kong, China, Malaysia and Singapore, with members involved in more than 50 meetings and engagements.

Mr Hodgman yesterday defended missing one week of Parliament while on tour, hitting out at the several Labor MHAs ejected from Question Time throughout last week.

“Tasmania is going through a rare period for any jurisdiction of strong growth in key sectors where we are leading the nation. We’ve got to seize the opportunity,” Mr Hodgman said.

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