TRADE MATTERS 2012 South Australia – state trade with the world

South Australia is Australia's top wine exporter. It has world-class wine technology and services expertise. South Australia has a growing mining sector and is strong in food production. The state is also home to automotive, defence and electronics exporting industries.

About South Australia

South Australia's goods and services exports were valued at $14 billion in 2011, growing on average 3 per cent every year for the last five years. Key exports for South Australia in 2011 were wheat, copper and wine. The state accounted for 4.6 per cent of Australia's total exports in 2011.

2010-11 economic indicators

Estimated resident population (September 2011): 1,659,818

Real Gross State Product growth (%): 2.4

Proportion of Australian GDP (%): 6.4

Why South Australia trades

• Trade gives South Australians the chance to choose from a wide range of competitively priced goods and services from around the world.
• Both exports and imports create jobs. One in five Australian jobs is directly related to trade.
• South Australia's exports are equal to 14.7 per cent of Gross State Product, building wealth and prosperity.
• Foreign investment plays an important role in the South Australia's economic development and provides capital to fund business expansion.

How the Australian Government encourages South Australia's trade

The Australian Government is helping South Australian exporters to become even more competitive by further reforming the domestic economy. The Government is investing in skills, education, the National Broadband Network and other infrastructure, as well as engaging in tax reform and cutting regulatory red tape.

The Government is also working to increase market access and improve conditions for exporters overseas by advancing multilateral trade liberalisation through the World Trade Organization, facilitating greater regional trade, and removing bilateral trade barriers.

South Australia and Australia's FTAs

• Copper products are South Australia's second largest export to the thriving Indonesian market. With Indonesia's entry into the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand FTA from January 2012, Indonesian tariffs of up to 20 per cent on copper products (excluding cathodes) will be eliminated by 2014.
• South Australian exports of wine to Thailand increased by over 13 per cent from 2010, to more than $10 million in 2011. The Thailand-Australia FTA provides secure market access for South Australia's wine producers, increasing their competitiveness.
• Of South Australia's top 10 merchandise trading partners, fi ve (the United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand) are covered by existing FTA arrangements, while four (Japan, China, South Korea and India) are currently in FTA negotiations with Australia.

Information and contacts

Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade
Advancing Australia's interests overseas
www.dfat.gov.au/trade

DFAT state office contact details
www.dfat.gov.au/adelaide
08 8403 4899

State government contact
www.southaustralia.biz

Austrade
Information for new and existing exporters
www.austrade.gov.au
13 28 78

Australia's Free Trade Agreements
www.fta.gov.au