Tassie dairy going ‘gang busters’, Dairy Australia MD tells Burnie conference

A MAJOR industry conference in Burnie has been told Tasmania is leading the way when it comes to dairy production across the country.

Future Ready Dairy Systems field day at the Chilver's family Oakdene property near Symmons Plains in the Northern Midlands, a...

A MAJOR industry conference in Burnie has been told Tasmania is leading the way when it comes to dairy production across the country.

Dairy Australia managing director Ian Halliday is a guest speaker at the annual Tasmanian Dairy Conference.

“Across Australia production is sitting at about 2.7 per cent up, year to date, but Tasmania is doing gang busters — they’re up over 10 per cent,” he said today.

Forecasts of strong milk prices could see further expansion of Tasmania’s dairy industry.

Mr Halliday said an improvement in the global price outlook should give the state’s producers a confidence boost for the upcoming season.

“I think most of the processors are being pretty cautious at the moment,” he said.

“Probably over the next couple of months we’ll start to see opening prices from the processors, so I think it will probably reflect a modest recovery.

“From what we’re hearing, most of the processing companies are trying to ensure there’s going to be a good price for next year.”

About 150 farmers from across the state are attending the conference, which has a strong focus on new technology, sustainability and investment.

Dairy cows grazing Tasmania. Picture: KEITH DIDHAM

Former Olympic swimmer Michael Klim — now an ambassador for the Australian dairy industry — has also made an appearance at the event.

“Since my early Olympic days I’ve always thought a partnership with a dairy brend makes sense for me,” he said.

“Not only do I love the stuff, my surname spells milk backwards. Surely it’s a no-brainer fit.”

While the race is now on to attract investment from China in Australia’s dairy industry, including Tasmania, Mr Halliday said it was important not to forget about others key Asian markets.

“It is already is an important market in the international scene,” he said.

“Go back to 2007 and China imported only about 300,000 tonnes of products, last year they imported two million tonnes of product.

“I would also say from a demand point of view, I wouldn’t lose sight of the opportunities in South-East Asian countries.

MORE: TASMANIAN DAIRY TOUR BY CHINESE INVESTORS A SUCCESS

“Places like Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.

“They are still very important markets and we still expect quite strong growth coming from those market as well, so we’re not just focused on China.”

The winners of this year’s Dairy Business of the Year Awards will be announced tonight at the conference dinner.

READ MORE RURAL STORIES IN TOMORROW’S TASMANIAN COUNTRY