October 26, 2010

Middle East eyes excess Australian live cattle stock

Live cattle exports to Indonesia may be down, but other customers, particularly from the Middle East, are snapping up excess Australian stock.

In August, the number shipped to the Middle East jumped nearly 1,700% on the same time last year, with cattle going to Libya, Egypt and, for the first time, Turkey.

Meat and Livestock Australia livestock exports manager David Finucane expects Middle Eastern demand to continue to grow.

Earlier in August, Indonesia cut its Australian live cattle import market by about 40%, sparking fears that years of booming beef industry is about to end. Cattle Council of Australia executive director David Inall said Indonesia had become a massive market for beef producers, taking 715,000 head in 2009-10 as well as 50,000 tonnes of boxed beef.

Meanwhile, Australia's Queensland Government, Beef Australia, and the livestock industry are partnering to develop livestock genetics as a key export for the Queensland states.