Recently, the Omicron variant has been highlighting the strain Covid-19 has been putting on Australia’s supply chains, and the ways in which its logistics and markets may be made more resilient, if state and federal levels of government have the acumen to take the necessary steps.
Already in June 2020 there were calls for work to be done on enabling shorter and more decentralized fresh produce supply chains, connecting consumers more directly with growers, to complement those longer chains we currently rely upon. This was in response to changing consumer preferences for buying online, receiving goods at home and for sourcing their produce locally.
At the time Growcom submitted to the Queensland government a proposal for exploring this concept further, and while there was some interest from the Treasurer’s office, it sadly went no further. This may change ahead of the next federal election due by May should Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese have his way. Albanese has made a return to domestic manufacture one of his key planks under Federal Labor’s ‘Plan for a Better Future’.
Source: goodfruitandvegetables.com.au
Photo source: Dreamstime.com
