RI key to Australia's live cattle exports<\/p>\n
SYDNEY (Reuter): Australia's meat industry statutory
\nauthority, the Australian Meat and Livestock Corp (AMLC), said in
\nits latest monthly market review live cattle exports, mainly to
\nIndonesia and the Philippines, were the major factor ensuring the
\nviability of an otherwise struggling northern cattle sector.<\/p>\n
Australia's booming A$350 million a year live cattle export
\ntrade jumped 42 percent in calendar 1996 and is forecast to climb
\nabout 23 percent in 1997.<\/p>\n
AMLC official Julia Schick predicted Australia's cattle
\nexports would grow to 890,000 head in 1997 from 723,000 in 1996.
\nThe Asian component, sourced from northern Australia, was
\nexpected to reach 710,000 head in 1997.<\/p>\n
Australia's cattle exports in 1996 rose by more than 200,000
\nhead on 1995 and in value terms grew by 34.4 percent to A$344.50
\nmillion.<\/p>\n
Indonesia is seen remaining the main force and increasing
\nimports by 70,000 to 450,000 head in 1997, AMLC said.<\/p>\n
\"This alone is greater than the total number of live cattle
\nexported by Australia in 1994,\" Schick said.<\/p>\n
\"Indonesia's population of 195 million (means) even a small
\nrise in per capita consumption of beef will inevitably have a
\nflow-on effect for live cattle and beef import demand. A
\ncontinued rise in per capita consumption is likely to increase
\ndemand for both live cattle and beef from Australia,\" she said.<\/p>\n
Accounting for 52 percent of Australia's total cattle exports,
\nIndonesian demand is a result of higher per capita income and a
\ngrowing middle class with larger disposable income.<\/p>\n
Increased consumption of beef in Indonesia and elsewhere in
\nAsia is seen as also boosted by a reduction in Asian herd numbers
\nas farmers took advantage of higher cattle prices.<\/p>\n
It was further aided by tariff reductions in several
\ncountries.<\/p>\n
Indonesia lifted limitations on imports of feeder cattle in
\n1989 and does not subject them to import tariffs.<\/p>\n
In contrast to Indonesia's continuing growth prospects, the
\nPhilippines, Australia's second-largest cattle market with
\nimports of 203,010 head in 1996, is seen as having plateaued.<\/p>\n
This is seen as resulting from removal of official
\nrequirements that breeding cattle comprise 10 percent of imported
\ncattle, competition with imported buffalo meat and higher imports
\nof chilled and frozen product from Australia, New Zealand and the
\nU.S., AMLC said.<\/p>\n
AMLC sees the Middle East and North Africa as prospects for
\nbig new markets for Australian cattle.<\/p>\n
First substantial Australian cattle exports to Egypt began in
\n1995 following the reduction in EU subsidies and reached 49,300
\nhead in 1996.<\/p>\n
Libya, Jordan, Lebanon, Israel, Mauritius and Middle East Gulf
\ncountries also imported rising numbers of Australian cattle in
\n1996.<\/p>\n
With EU subsidies cut by 10 percent to 116 cents a kg,
\nAustralia was competing viably in the Middle East and North
\nAfrica, it said.<\/p>\n
\"Libya is emerging as a new market in this area, with the
\npotential to import up to 100,000 head from Australia in 1997,\"
\nSchick said.<\/p>\n
\"Egypt may also import over 80,000 head.<\/p>\n
\"However, these markets will again lose viability ... if EU
\nsubsidies are raised to previous levels and bans (on imports from
\nIreland because of BSE disease) are lifted,\" AMLC said.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/ri-key-to-australias-live-cattle-exports-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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