June 22, 2010
Australian beef industry to benefit from Indonesian beef restrictions
Indonesia's tightening of its live cattle export criteria may actually help Australia's beef industry in the long run, said the chairman of Australia's largest beef company, Australian Agricultural Company (AACo).
Earlier this year, Indonesia placed a 350-kilogramme weight restriction on all cattle being shipped into the country, as part of its beef self-sufficiency policy.
Nick Burton-Taylor, from the AACo, said that although pastoralists may be hurting in the short term, the situation will force the beef industry to chase further beef opportunities.
"I think it is going to encourage and to be honest, cajole the industry into a better place," he said.
"I think we've got to start looking at other avenues, I think we've got to start looking at other live export markets,'' Taylor added.
