Australian organic wine, beer, cider and spirits producers will benefit from their inclusion in an expanded Australia-Japan organics equivalence arrangement, in effect from today.
The change means less red tape for Australian producers of these products, who from October 1, would have had to obtain additional certification requirements to label and market their beverages as organic in the Japanese market.
These requirements would have imposed a significant financial and administrative burden on Australian producers.
Exports of organic wines to Japan have increased in recent years, and wine makes up the majority of Australian organic alcoholic beverage exports to Japan.
Australian exporters to Japan of organic livestock products, such as meat and dairy, have also benefited from updates to the organics equivalency arrangement, after their inclusion was made permanent.
The update follows a successful audit of the Australian organic export system.
Australian organic producers have also benefited from the signing of a Mutual Recognition Arrangement with India last month to recognise each other's organics systems as equivalent for a specific range of products.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins MP:
"These updates to the Australia-Japan organics equivalence arrangement are a significant win for Australian producers and wine makers, cutting red tape and providing greater certainty for producers of organic products.
"Australia is the fifth largest wine producer by volume in the world, and with Australian exports of organic wines to Japan on the rise in recent years, these changes will help us to showcase Australian wines and alcoholic beverages on the world stage.
"We know that our nation is well regarded as a producer of organic products, and changes like these will further promote Australia's reputation as an exporter of clean and green agricultural products.
"This is another example of the Albanese Labor Government delivering more opportunities for our world class agriculture exports.
"Since coming into government we have recorded 231 market access achievements, opening 29 new markets, protecting 81 markets in the face of trade threats, restoring 17 markets where trade was lost, and making 104 improvements to existing markets."
