Thursday, July 7, 2011

Australia lifts ban on cattle exports

The Australian government has lifted its ban on live cattle exports to Indonesia on the condition that stricter regulations be imposed on industry participants. Australia’s agriculture minister, Joe Ludwig, said the government was lifting the ban, imposed a month ago after allegations of mistreatment at slaughterhouses here, but did not say when exports would resume.

Australia banned cattle exports to Indonesia on June 7 after the broadcast of footage showing the mistreatment of Australian cattle in 12 Indonesian slaughterhouses.

Elders Ltd., Australia's largestrural-services supplier, and rival cattle exporters said it will
take a month to resume sales to Indonesia after Australia yesterday lifted a ban imposed to prevent animal cruelty.

Shipments may resume in the first week of August, Elders said today in a statement to the Australian stock exchange, reiterating the suspension may cost the Adelaide-based company
as much as A$7.3 million ($7.8 million).

Australia's live-cattle exports to Indonesia fell 38percent to 445,000 heads in the year ended June 30 after the Asian nation restricted import permits and enforced weight limits, the Australian Bureau of Agricultural & Resource Economics & Sciences said.

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