January 6, 2012

The Indonesian government has issued Australian cattle import permits for only 60,000 heads this quarter, the Northern Territory Livestock Association said.

That is 40,000 less than the number issued during the same period last year.

The association says even though this quarter is typically a slower period, it had been were hoping for a higher number of permits.

The first Northern Territory cattle shipment for 2012 leaves Darwin Port today.

Livestock association chairman Kevin Mulvahill says exporters suspected the permit numbers would be down but it is still disappointing.

Live exports of Australian cattle were suspended last year when the ABC's Four Corners programme aired graphic footage of Indonesian abattoirs.

Since then, the North Australian industry has struggled to fully recover.