The Federal Governent has announced that IFAM will be extended until mid-2021 withan additional injection of $317.1 million in funds to continue offering targeted, temporary emergency support to exporters.

The IFAM is a temporary measure to restore critical global supply chains which have been heavily impacted by COVID-19 containment measures around the world. Originally focused on high value agriculture and seafood products, the eligibility criteria have now been extended to include Australian-made or produced products that are:

• high value
• time-sensitive
• reliant on airfreight, for example due to perishability or are products that could not be sent by an alternative to airfreight without losing their essential product characteristics or value; or are goods that have a limited shelf life or are required ot meet a sudden or immediate need
• or are deemed to be in the national interest. 

For details of the IFAM program and current flights, click here.

Businesses can continue to access the IFAM by registering their interest here or by contacting their freight forwarder. Exporters are advised to also use the next six months to adjust to the ongoing impact of COVID-19 by developing, where possible, alternative transport pathways, packaging, product and distribution options which take into account enduring higher freight costs.

The South Australian Department for Trade and Investment continues to have discussions with freight forwarders and is monitoring IFAM arrangements.For further information on this, please contact Becky Houston at the Department for Trade and Investment.