ABOUT APFA The Australian Prawn Farmer's Association (APFA) was formed in 1993 to represent the interests and foster the development of the Australian prawn farming industry. The Association is a key contact for investors, new farmers and firms wishing to do business with the Australian prawn farming sector.
	The Australian prawn farming industry now produces over 4,000 tonnes of product annually with a farm gate value in excess of $70 million, providing more than 1000 direct jobs and 1800 indirect jobs. The Australian industry is one of the smaller volumetric producers in the world but leads the world in productivity with an average yield of more than 4,500 kg per hectare. Farms are located in four Australian states - New South Wales, Queensland, Northern Territory and Western Australia.
	The industry's potential economic and environmental contribution to our community is substantial. The Association has set a goal of $200 million in farm gate sales by 2010. Within the next twenty years the industry will provide 7,000 direct jobs and 21,000 indirect jobs with a farm gate value in excess of $780 million. Value adding opportunities for wholesalers and retailers will increase by an estimated $400m. Prawn farming is now one of the largest aquaculture sectors in Australia behind Tuna and Salmon. Enormous opportunity remains for new areas of development and growth in grow-out, hatchery, processing, marketing and service sectors.
	Membership of the Association is voluntary. The rate is set by fee per hectare for grower's and at a nominal flat rate for Associate Membership. The Association has the very strong support of the industry at all levels with very close to 100% coverage of growers across Australia. These facts, combined with the economic potential of the industry ensure that APFA has a strong voice at all levels of government.
	As well as lobbying power, members of the Association receive the benefits of networking within industry and related sectors - exchanging ideas and discussing products and methods to improve performance. The Association is encouraged by recent growth in the number of Associate members reflecting increasing corporate and service sector expectations for projected growth in coming decades. Service sectors join the Association to strengthen their links and networks with an industry which is internationally recognised as breaking new ground. The Association provides the link for communications between grower's and related sectors including infrastructure suppliers, the finance sector, retailers and exporters, technologists, researchers and all levels of government.
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