January 5, 2012

Indonesia's 2011 live cattle imports from the Territory were about 20,000 down on the previous year; however, total cattle exports are higher than in some years in the past decade.

Figures from the Territory Government show 223,526 head of Territory cattle were exported to Indonesia last year, compared with 250,450 head in 2010 and 288,887 in 2009.

The Federal Government stopped the export trade for about a month because of graphic footage of killing Australian animals in some Indonesian abattoirs which was shown on the ABC Four Corners programme.

Export numbers to Indonesia will be lower again this year with the Indonesian Government announcing last month it would cut the import quota from Australia to about a total of 280,000 head per year, down on the 520,000 of last year. The quota had been more than 700,000 head in 2009.

In total to all countries there were 253,797 head of Territory cattle sent, going also to Brunei, Egypt, the Philippines, Malaysia and Vietnam. This was down on the 272,749 in 2010, 304,818 in 2009, and 295,539 in 2008 but above exports in 2003-2007.

There were 43,517 head of cattle - from NT and interstate - sent through the Port of Darwin in December, 24,947 more than in November and 27,894 more than December 2010. A total of 1841 buffaloes - both local and from interstate - were exported to Brunei and Indonesia and there were 610 goats exported to Brunei.