Transparency improving in cattle and beef industry
Australia’s cattle and beef industry has taken some steps towards improving transparency in dealings between processers and farmers, but more work is needed, the ACCC has noted today.
Agriculture
Inquiry into Murray-Darling Basin water markets commences
The ACCC has commenced an Inquiry into markets for tradeable water rights in the Murray-Darling Basin.
As a formal inquiry under the Competition and Consumer Act 2010, the ACCC will have access to compulsory information gathering powers that will enable a thorough examination of competition and transparency issues in the markets.
Market imbalance threatens future wine industry growth
Future growth prospects for the Australian wine industry will be heavily dependent on reforms to improve competition for wine grapes, according to the ACCC.
The current low level of competition between winemakers buying grapes not only leads to inefficient outcomes in production and pricing but also discourages innovation and capital investment, ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh said in a speech to the Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference in Adelaide today.
Observations from the ACCC market study into the wine grape industry address
ACCC Commissioner Mick Keogh delivers an address to the Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference (AWITC). Mr Keogh discusses the role of competition in fostering future wine industry growth, in particular the findings from the ACCC market study into the wine grape industry.
Feedback sought on collective bargaining plan for small businesses
The ACCC is seeking views on its proposal to implement a class exemption that would allow small businesses to collectively negotiate with their suppliers and processors, and franchisees and fuel retailers to collectively negotiate with their franchisor or fuel wholesaler, without first having to seek ACCC approval.
Currently, groups of competitors seeking to negotiate together must first obtain formal approval from the ACCC under its ‘authorisation’ or ‘notification’ processes.
More transparency needed in wine grape sector
Harmful market practices are restricting competition in some Australian wine grape growing regions and limiting the potential for growth of Australia’s wine industry, according to an interim report released today by the ACCC.
Through its detailed market study into the wine grape sector, the ACCC has proposed measures to address concerning practices it believes are common across high-production, warm climate wine grape-growing regions.
Interim report
In June 2019 the ACCC released an interim report on the wine grape industry.
The ACCC view - dairy from a competition perspective address
ACCC Commissioner Mick Keogh delivers an address to the Trans-Tasman Dairy Leaders Forum on the dairy industry from a competition perspective.
The future of global agriculture keynote address
ACCC Deputy Chair, Mick Keogh, delivers a keynote address to the International Farm Management Conference, where he talks about the challenges and opportunities of premium markets in agriculture.
The challenges and opportunities of premium markets in agriculture
Consumer trust should be a major focus for Australia’s agriculture sector as farmers increasingly target premium markets for their produce, ACCC Deputy Chair Mick Keogh told the International Farm Management Association Congress in Tasmania today.
“Most of the growth in the total value of Australian agricultural output in recent decades has come from an increase in the average value of products, rather than an increase in the volume of output,” Mr Keogh said.