Queensland Premier and Minister for Trade Annastacia Palaszczuk said her Government had appointed Ryan Freer as Trade and Investment Commissioner for Korea and Abhinav Bhatia as Senior Trade Commissioner for South Asia.

“Every day, commissioners and their staff in 12 major markets globally are busy promoting Queensland products and services to their local market and showcasing Queensland as the right place to invest,” Palaszczuk said.

“I wish both Mr Freer and Mr Bhatia well in their new roles and hope they can deliver some great export success in those markets for our Queensland businesses.”

According to Palaszczuk, Korea is a major investor in Queensland’s minerals and renewable energy sectors, while India is Queensland’s third largest export market.

The appointments will help Queensland’s team of Trade Commissioners to boost the state’s presence in export supply chains while recovering from the impacts of COVID-19.

“India is currently Queensland’s third largest export market, valued at slightly over $7 billion for the year to April 2021, driven by coal, agriculture, mining equipment, technology and services, and international education,” Palaszczuk said.

The Minerals Council of Australia reported last year that thermal coal demand in Asia will peak to 1.1 billion per annum in 2030.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reported that coal exports in April 2021 grew to $287 million, an 8 per cent increase to the previous month.

The increase was due to coal exports to India, which increased by 167 per cent to $116 million in April.