THE bringing together of some 500 international visitors with more than 100 registered domestic businesses at Beef Australia 2012 has been an extremely succesful initiative that promises to chalk up millions of dollars in export trade.

Queensland Government principal trade and investment officer Morgan Gronold, Barcaldine, has been a driving force behind the success of this free business matching program named "Handshakes" in partnership with the Australian Trade Commission.

Mr Gronold said the Handshakes program first launched at the 2006 Rockhampton beef exposition provided a quick and easy link for international delegates from as far afield as North and South America, China, Asia, Europe and the Pacific to deal directly with Australian exporters of products such as beef genetics and livestock handling equipment.

"In the lead up to this year's expo, we provided details of all visiting delegations to the domestic businesses that registered with the Handshakes program and the Australian agribusiness operators have been extremely proactive," Mr Gronold said.

"At Beef Australia, we have experienced interpreters on hand and many of the international delegates have planned their itinaries around exploring business opportunities while in Queensland.

"Obviously we want these international delegates to see Queensland as a place to do business and Handshakes has created the environment in which this trade can occur," Mr Gronold said.