In order to increase agricultural exports from Alberta, the province is adding new employees to their international offices, the province says in a news release on Sept. 30.
“Improving market access is critical to the growth and long-term success of Alberta’s farmers and ranchers,” Jason Kenney, Alberta’s premier, says int the release. “Putting experienced, intelligent and driven people on the ground will create countless opportunities for our thriving agriculture sector and support them for generations to come.”
Specific trade and investment offers will join Invest Alberta’s international offices in Mexico City and Singapore. The international offices in the United States and European Union will also receive new staff members. These new employees will complement Alberta agriculture’s international exposure in the Beijing, Seoul, Tokyo and New Delhi offices, the release notes.
The province has set aggressive new growth targets of 8.5 per cent per year for value-added agricultural exports and 7.5 per cent per year for primary agricultural exports. Together, these growth targets will increase agri-food exports to $16.6 billion by 2023; a 43 per cent increase from the 2018 level of $11.6 billion, the release says.
In order to achieve these targets, Alberta’s government will do targeted market development and partner with the federal government to eliminate market barriers and open new markets. They will offer the food industry support to attract more importer interest and they will support the agri-food industry to establish footholds in new markets to attract foreign direct investment.
