May 28, 2014
 

Australia's cattle exports to China could start this year
 

Western Australian-based Wellard Group has expanded its exports to China and believes it may start shipping live feeder and slaughter cattle there within five to six months, ABC reports.

The company air freighted more than 1,200 dorper rams and ewes from Western Australia, Victoria and South Australia and has also shipped its first container of frozen mutton to China.

This follows the export accreditation of its abattoir Beaufort River Meats at Woodanilling, 60 kilometres east of Katanning in Western Australia's Great Southern.

Wellard already has a presence in China as an exporter of high performance dairy heifers from Australia and New Zealand.

Mauro Balzarini, CEO of the Wellard Group, believes Australia is just months away from sending its first shipment of live cattle to China.

"First of all we want to make sure there will be an OIE standard for all the animals that we send to China so through the ESCAS system and we are working on that in China at the moment," Balzarini said.

"And yes we are developing specific assets in China where we can take maximum advantage both in terms of animal welfare and commercial return as well."

"We are looking at maybe five or six months (before the first shipment of Australian cattle to China) and I hope that all the stakeholders involved and the governments and the Department of Agriculture and AQIS work hard to make sure that it happens," Balzarini added.