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INNOVATION IN PRACTICE
Australia’s agri-businesses at the frontline of global growth opportunities
Australia’s farmers are poised for global growth, but to stay competitive, they’ll need to attract long-term investment, embrace innovation, and turn world-class production into world-leading exports.
By Raman Bhalla
Australia's agricultural sector stands at a crossroads. For decades, we've punched well above our weight in global farm trade, exporting roughly 70 per cent of our production and contributing tens of billions in an- nual export value. Yet as global headwinds intensify, from shifting trade policies and supply chain volatil- ity to climate uncertainty and rising input costs, we risk leaving vast potential on the table unless we act with urgency and strategic vision. Australian agriculture has proven its resilience. Over the past 20 years, sector output has grown by more than 30 per cent, with exports remaining a critical backbone of that success. Current fore- casts warn of a modest contraction, with agricul- tural exports expected to fall by about 3 per cent in 2025-26, but this decline is driven largely by lower production volumes, not demand collapse. Global appetite remains robust. What’s needed is strengthened supply, produc- tivity, and market strategy, not resignation to de- cline. One theme that emerged clearly from the latest CapTech Summit discussions is that capital is the critical enabler for this growth. The CapTech Summit is Australian business event that serves as a gateway to global capital markets for proven
Australian businesses seeking capital, strategic partnerships, and international expansion While many Australian agribusinesses are built on tradition, tight margins and cyclical risk, to move beyond incremental growth they must at- tract patient, scale capital. There is no shortage of investors seeking to connect with Australian agri- businesses - from beef, cotton and lamb, to horti- culture, ag-tech, and value-added processing - not just for returns, but for long-term partnerships and infrastructure investment. The annual CapTech Summit sees more than 300 delegates, including over 100 international investors from sovereign wealth funds, family offices and private equity firms across Asia, the Middle East and Europe,
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