August 15, 2013
Vietnam's live cattle import from Australia rises
Australia is exporting an increasing number of cattle to Vietnam, at an estimated 20,000 head for 2013, according to the Australian Live Export Council.
Sid Parker, the Darwin port manager for Southeast Asia Livestock Services, said that Vietnam is a crucial market as it takes heavier cattle.
"Different cattle are anything up to 400 to 500-kilogramme, and they are going for immediate slaughter. Vietnam take quite a number of bulls, cows, and heavy steers. There would be a lot of heavy cattle left here if Vietnam had not opened up a bit", Parker added.
According to the Australian Livestock Exporters Council, Queensland cattle producers have been stepping up with the trade.
CEO Alison Penfold reveals that Queensland's contribution to Australia's overall exports has increased over the past year.
"Queensland has tended, when live export opportunities are very strong... they certainly hunt out and see a lot more cattle exported. Now in 2012, 2.8% of all cattle exported out of Australia came from Queensland. This year, in March, 9.4% of all cattle exported came out of Queensland", Penfold said.
