Jeremy Rockliff,Minister for Trade
Tasmania’s export sector has continued to shine with the latest ABS export statistics confirming another record, with exports soaring to $4.67 billion for the 12 months to April 2022.
This is 24.5 per cent higher than the previous year and is the ninth consecutive month in which the rolling 12 month total has exceeded the $4 billion mark.
The data shows Tasmania’s resources sector and sustainable primary industries continue to drive our goods exports, supporting local jobs and our regional economy – meaning more money into our economy to spend on the essential services Tasmanians expect, and deserve.
It confirms the comments from Saul Eslake last week, who said:
“Tasmania’s international exports increased by 6.4% in the March quarter – whereas international imports fell by 23.6%. Taken together these two figures imply that net international trade would have made a significant positive contribution to Tasmania’s gross state product in the March quarter – and quite possibly by enough to have resulted in an increase in gross state product in the March quarter – if such estimates were made.”
There is no doubt that Tasmania has what the world wants, and the continued strength of these results is testament to the resilience of our exporters after the most difficult period in recent memory.
These results also follow the release of the 2020-2021 Tasmanian Trade Scorecard that showed that almost 1500 businesses accessed a Tasmanian Government trade-related service across the year, and more than 450 Tasmanian businesses were promoted directly to, or within, their target export markets.
Importantly, the Scorecard shows our export trade has been a driving force of Tasmania’s economic recovery from the impacts of COVID-19 and that our increased focus on growing existing markets, and opening of new opportunities, is working.
