AgriTrace launched to tackle AUD $3 billion food fraud losses

SQiBLE and Falconlabs have launched AgriTrace to address food fraud in the Australian agricultural sector.

Australian agriculture faces food fraud losses estimated at AUD $3 billion per year, with counterfeiting and misrepresentation impacting products such as wine, honey, and lobster. In response, SQiBLE and Falconlabs have collaborated to deliver AgriTrace, a technology platform that combines artificial intelligence and blockchain to enhance food supply chain security and traceability.

AgriTrace is designed to address three primary industry concerns: counterfeiting of luxury goods, complex regulatory compliance for exports, and the requirement for proven product provenance. The system generates an immutable, real-time record documenting the journey of products from origin to consumer, supporting both regulatory and market trust.

"Many businesses have made major investments in their Web 2.0 systems, but face a trust gap with supply chain partners," said Kylie Harker, CEO of SQiBLE. "Our BRAiN platform bridges that gap - connecting proven systems to Web 3.0 technologies like blockchain and smart contracts, so organisations can strengthen security and transparency without disrupting the workflows they rely on."

Web 2.0 systems, such as ERP and conventional supply chain management software, often rely on centralised records that, while robust, may not provide the tamper-proof and shared transparency required for today's increasingly international and complex supply networks. In contrast, Web 3.0 technologies - including blockchain and smart contracts - enable decentralised, secure, and automated transactions. AgriTrace is structured to enable existing businesses to adopt these features without requiring significant changes to their existing IT infrastructure.

The platform brings together two core components. SQiBLE's BRAiN rapid application development platform delivers seamless integration with existing systems and applies artificial intelligence and machine learning to supply chain data. According to the company, this results in predictive analytics with 15% greater accuracy than current alternatives. Underpinning this is Falconlabs' Layer-One blockchain technology, which assures transaction speeds 50% faster than other platforms, recording every supply chain event in a tamper-proof, auditable ledger.

"Provenance isn't just about data - it's about protecting value and reputation," said Ting Yang, CEO of FalconLabs. "For customers, it means confidence that every product is authentic and traceable. For government and industry, it means stronger export competitiveness, reduced fraud, and simpler compliance with global regulations. Through the AgriTrace platform, we're making provenance practical, scalable, and accessible - turning trust into a real economic advantage for Australia."

The initial sector of focus for AgriTrace will be the premium wine industry, reflecting the high value and fraud exposure of this market. With its adaptable design, the platform is intended for use across a range of industries that are challenged by traceability and provenance issues.

Food fraud has become an increasing concern for global trade partners and regulatory authorities, who seek to ensure authenticity and prevent dilution of reputation for premium Australian exports. AgriTrace's system aims to offer a solution to these challenges by combining real-time data collection and immutable records, providing documented proof at every stage from producer to end consumer.

SQiBLE and Falconlabs expect their platform to enhance export competitiveness by mitigating risks associated with counterfeit products and facilitating adherence to international regulatory requirements. This is anticipated to help Australian producers protect brand integrity and mitigate economic damage caused by fraudulent activity in overseas and domestic markets.

The two firms emphasise that AgriTrace operates as a technological bridge, enabling businesses with existing ERP investments to access the advantages of blockchain and smart contracts without the need for disruptive system replacement.