November 14, 2007

More Australian live cattle exports for Indonesia

A high Australian dollar and rising oil prices will not stop Australian cattle exporters to increase its shipments in the next few years.

According to Australian Livestock Export Corporation (Livecorp), as of September, 560,000 head of cattle were exported and is seen to total 706,000 heads by the year's end.

Livecorp chief executive, Cameron Hall, says most of that demand can be attributed to changes in the Indonesian market. According to Hall, the removal of VAT (value added tax), which was ten percent, is a factor and the industry is investing in improving and growing the country's infrastructure as well as its capacity to feed and hold cattle.

Improving economies around the world would pull up exports for the next 12 to 18 months, he said.