Australian government is to be complimented for its latest carbon footprint reduction initiative for which it has committed a sum of A$ 150 million to the food manufacturing and retailing industry. But critics point out the insufficient amount earmarked because in spite of such a cash incentive scheme products made in Australia will still be non-competitive with their imported counterparts.
"The money will help the recession-buffeted food sector put into practice the Government's Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS) – a cap-and-trade system of emissions trading for greenhouse gases due to be introduced in Australia by 2011. AFGC Deputy Chief Executive Dr Geoffrey Annison said the proposed funding would help industry to reduce emissions, explore energy efficiencies and become more sustainable. But he said more was needed".
Why should the Australian products should be costlier is some thing the industry must mull over. According to the industry sources most of the countries exporting foods to Australia do not have the overhead cost that goes in making the products "green" with less stricter controls on the industry. What they are forgetting is that the exporting countries have to bear the extra cost of transportation to deliver the goods to the Australian consumers. Probably there appears to be an over riding concern that imports of foods to Australia increased by 40% during the last 5 years, precisely because of the ability of exporters to supply the products at economic prices compared to the local manufacturers. Australia must not look inward and bring untenable trade barriers in the name of environmental protection.
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