Australia has sanctioned the live export of cattle trade with China after agriculture minister Barnaby Joyce approved animal health certification requirements
The sanction will allow for one million head of cattle to be sent to China annually, said Joyce. With this sanction, Australia will become the first country to export feeder and slaughter cattle to China, revealed Alison Penfold, chief executive of the Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council.
Though China and Australia have had significant trade in breeder cattle over the past five years, a commercial agreement on live slaughter could create a new market, said the Australian minister.
Following the health and safety conditions being approved by China’s agriculture minister Zhi Shuping, Australian exporters will be able to work with Chinese importers to develop a supply chain assurance system.
Recently, Australia’s live cattle industry took a hit when Indonesia said it would reduce its import quota, after confirming that it would accept only 50,000 head of Australian cattle – a fraction of the 250,000 it was importing earlier.
