From Disruption to Decision: What the Middle East Conflict Means for the Agrifood Sector in Australia and New Zealand

The Middle East conflict is no longer only a geopolitical story. For agrifood exporters in Australia and New Zealand, it is becoming a direct commercial issue: disrupted freight routes, rising energy and transport costs, longer lead times, and growing pressure on supply contracts and margins. 

This session will explore what the conflict means for agrifood trade flows into the Gulf and beyond, where the biggest vulnerabilities now sit, and how businesses can respond in a way that protects continuity while still enabling growth. 

Following a macroeconomic outlook, a live discussion with Mark Coleman from ICAL International Customs And Logistics will bring a ground-level perspective on what is happening across airfreight, sea freight, fuel-linked supply chains and contractual reliability and what it means for exporters on the ground. 

Importantly, the session will move beyond diagnosis to action. It will outline the practical steps agrifood businesses should be considering now to manage risk more effectively, from stress-testing supply chains and diversifying logistics routes, to reassessing cost structures, strengthening counterparty visibility, and reviewing contractual resilience. It will also explore how leading exporters are increasing the frequency of decision-making and using better data to stay ahead of disruption. 

The session will conclude with a short live Q&A.