A media release states:
The Minister for Economic Development and Tourism, Paula Wriedt, reaffirmed the State Government's commitment to the Tasmanian food and beverage industry at the whole-of-industry forum at Moorilla on 15 April 2008.
The forum is a joint initiative between the Food Industry Council of Tasmania and the State Government and is the first of the three industry consultation activities providing input into a revised food strategy for Tasmania.
The value of the State's food, agriculture and fisheries industries alone represent five per cent of Tasmania's State product and provides employment for 20,000 Tasmanians. It is a highly diversified industry that has a mix of overseas, interstate and local markets and more than 70 major product groups.
Tasmania produces most of the poppy seeds for the famous New York bagels, and was once the sole producer of aniseed flavouring for the French liqueur Pernod.Substantial economic growth has occurred in some of the food sectors over the 2006-07 period, in particular salmon, which is up 57 per cent over the last two years.
Read the rest of this media release at www.development.tas.gov.au.