Assistant Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, the Hon. Keith Pitt MP has visited the Geraldton Fishermen's Cooperative (GFC) live lobster warehouse facility and nearby Jiangnan Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market in Baiyun, China.
GFC's live lobster facility within the grounds of China's second largest airport makes it the first and only Australian business to own holding tanks for live seafood in China.
Mr Pitt said the large-scale investment was an unequivocal vote of confidence in the benefits of the China- Australia Free Trade Agreement (ChAFTA).
"Exports of premium live Australian rock lobster to China have more than trebled in the first half of this year as Australia's free trade agreement with China has come into play," Mr Pitt said.
"ChAFTA has seen the tariff for fresh or chilled rock lobster already cut to nine per cent, and it will be reduced again to six per cent on 1 January 2017 – a little over two months from now.
Media release: Rock Lobster exports go live with ChAFTA