On The Land
13 March, 2025
Ag roundtable aims to boost investment
LEADERS in agriculture and business have met with the State Government in a bid to boost investment in one of Queensland’s most crucial economic sectors.
Treasurer David Janetzki joined private sector investors, agtech bosses and primary industry leaders at the Agribusiness Investment Roundtable late February to boost the State’s investment opportunities, drive innovation and expand its market share of the global food supply chain.
The roundtable came after the government announced it was developing a 25-year blueprint to future-proof Queensland’s primary industries and boost output to $30 billion by 2030. It was worth about $22.7 billion in 2023-24.
The government has also announced the $30 million Sowing the Seeds of Farming Innovation Fund to promote new technologies and practices, 100 additional frontline officers for biosecurity, and heavy support for flood-hit farmers in North Queensland.
The Agribusiness Investment Roundtable followed evokeAG 2025 held in Brisbane, which was attended by more than 2,000 domestic and international agriculture leaders, innovators and delegates.
Mr Janetzki said he recognised the enormous value of Queensland’s agriculture industry, as the son of a sixth-generation dairy farmer.
“Agriculture is a bedrock for our economy, but under the former government it was left to wither on the vine,” he said.
“Our focus is driving-down operational costs for farmers and boosting investment and productivity, because productivity increases prosperity – for all Queenslanders.
“Queensland’s agriculture sector is renowned right across the world and, as part of this State’s fresh start, we will encourage new investment to drive innovation, science and technology.”
Minister for Primary Industries Tony Perrett said his government would never take the agricultural, fisheries or forestry sectors for granted.
“Under this Government, the future is much brighter for primary producers and investors, no longer will producers be hamstrung by policies designed to placate other interest groups,” he said.
“Agriculture is big business and deserves its rightful place at the table, which is exactly what our government is delivering.
“Investors and producers can have confidence knowing we are also investing in the sector, and we have set an ambitious target to boost the industry by $6.5 billion in the next five years.”
The Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES) estimates the value of Australian agriculture exports dropped by $7 billion between 2022-23 and 2023-24 and forecast exports to shrink another 2% this financial year.
