November 3, 2003

 

 

Australia's Live Sheep Exports Plunge to 12-Year Low
 

Australia's live sheep exports have plummeted to a 12-year low due to the MV Cormo Express affair.

 

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), in its weekly report on the industry, said exports of sheep dropped more than 55% in September to just 187,116.

 

The number of countries importing Australian sheep fell to just 6.

 

The live sheep trade has been in turmoil since the Cormo Express and its load of 57,000 animals were turned away by Saudi Arabia on August 20 on disease grounds.

 

It was not until 10 days ago that Australia managed to donate the animals, plus $1 million and 3,000 tons of feed, to the poor African nation of Eritrea.

 

After the Cormo Express was stopped from unloading in Saudi Arabia, Australia¡¯s government banned live exports to the country which is the biggest importer of live Australian sheep.

 

Kuwait took 141,000 sheep in September, a 20% increase, while the United Arab Emirates (23,000), Bahrain (17,000), Oman (4,000) and China (734) also took Australian sheep.

 

The MLA said apart from the Cormo Express affair, the strong Australian dollar and tight supplies within the country were contributing to the sharp falls in exports.

 

Live exports of cattle also fell to 29,395 and are 38% down on the same time last year.

 

Sales to countries such as Singapore (43% down), Indonesia (38%), the Philippines (37%) and Malaysia (43%) have all dropped significantly in the past year.

 

The MLA said the sharp drop in exports to Indonesia, the biggest market for Australian live cattle, was due to drought conditions there.

 

The only bright spot has been good growth in the export of live dairy cattle to China, with a record 5,400 leaving from the Victorian port of Portland in September.

 

Total dairy cattle exports to China have so far reached 26,000 this year, at a value of $40 million.