INDIA is providing growing opportunities for Australian agriculture.
After 11 years of negotiations, India is importing Australian lamb and sheep meat quota free.
The Australian Trade Commission's commercial and senior trade and investment commissioner for South Asia, Nicola Watkinson, said there was "enormous potential for growth".
India has the third largest sheep population in the world with 73 million sheep in 2011, but it produces only about 396,000 tonnes of sheep meat annually,
xporting 11,766 tonnes in 2010-11.
But with growth in high-end tourism, the taste for sheep meat is set to increase.
According to Meat and Livestock Australia, exports of lamb to India have reached 47 tonnes (shipped weight) so far this year, while no mutton had been exported.
Australian lamb was recently the focus of the "Australian lamb culinary experience" promotion in India aimed at broadening the appeal of premium meat among India's growing middle class.
Ms Watkinson said there were 6.3 million foreign tourists visiting India each year, making it the second largest tourist growth market in Asia.
She said there were opportunities in the hotel sector to provide "western style" food and in the high-end retail market.
Ms Watkinson said costs were higher but Australian lamb exporters were targeting less price-sensitive areas to gain a price premium for Australian growers.
"Rising levels of affluence in the region are expected to lead consumers to allocate increased purchasing power to higher quality food, including imports," she said.
Another positive supporting Australian exports was that New Zealand lamb does not have an opening in the Indian market.
Ms Watkinson said dairy was another growth area for Australia.
"Milk is one of the major sources of nourishment across poorer communities, and with Australia's world-class capabilities in this area there are opportunities to share knowledge," she said.
"Australia is a source of clean, green, high quality product and India is looking up to Australia because of its stringent laws."
