AUSTRALIAN sheep supplies in the Middle East will soon run out if Emanuel Exports is unable to finalise its contract to supply Al Mawashi, Kuwaiti Livestock Transport and Trading (KLTT) with live animals, according to a Farm Weekly source.
With the Islamic religious festival Eid occurring on Tuesday, August 21 demand for live sheep will be at its peak.
But Australian exporters are not able or willing to trade due to Emanuel Exports and its sister company EMS Rural Exports having their licences suspended.
In addition, Livestock Shipping Services has exited the trade during the northern summer months because it says new Federal government regulations have made the trade unviable at that time.
Harmony Agriculture and Food also said it would not use its licence to export 60,000 sheep stranded in the Baldivis feedlot and so far no one else has put their hand up to offer their services.
Last week the two-tiered livestock vessel Al Shuwaikh sat at Fremantle Port for a few days in preparation to load about 40,000 sheep – which KLTT was happy to pay an additional cost to receive due to the allometric stocking rate requirements on board, which has reduced the rate from anywhere between 11 per cent and 39pc, depending on the animal’s liveweight.
The vessel has returned to sea, where it is moored off the coast of Kwinana.
On Monday the Al Messilah also arrived to ship sheep to Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and the United Arab Emirates and is moored nearby.
It remains unclear if and when the 60,000 sheep will be exported by Emanuel Exports – with the investigation into the company ongoing – which could take three months to complete.
Exporting the sheep has remained the goal of Emanuel Exports – despite comments by the WA State Agriculture and Food Minister Alannah MacTiernan that local processors were willing to process the sheep and export the meat.
Emanuel Exports, as far as Farm Weekly is able to gather, has not been contacted directly by the minister or the processors – all of which have shut down for maintenance.
Emanuel Exports director Nicholas Daws said that the company had been advised that its export licence would remain suspended pending a full review.
“Emanuels will co-operate fully with the Department in its review,” Mr Daws said.
“It is not appropriate to provide any further public comment until the department has completed its review.”
The Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC) said while the regulator completed its review, ALEC was unable to provide any commentary on the licence suspension or the review.
“DAWR has the sole responsibility relating to licensing and export permits and, as such, ALEC has no role in these regulatory areas,” the ALEC statement said.
“ALEC shares the firm belief of the National Farmers’ Federation, Sheep Producers Australia and Western Australian producers that animal welfare needs to be the highest priority at all times throughout the supply chain.
“ALEC notes the sheep which were approved for export on the Al Shuwaikh remain in good health at a pre-export quarantine property south of Perth under veterinary supervision.
“ALEC supports the Federal government’s commitment to producers and our importer customers to continue Australia’s sheep export trade while new shipping standards are applied, as per the recommendations of the McCarthy Review.
“It is now less than six weeks until Eid al Adha (The Festival of the Sacrifice), an important religious period in the Middle East when cultural traditions drive a spike in demand for Australian sheep for local slaughter.
“With this in mind, it is vital for those working in the rural sector, including producers and associated industry employees, as well as our customers overseas, that the short-term and long-term future of the trade is secured.”
Last week Ms MacTiernan visited Qatar, on her way to a holiday, where she was meant to meet up with Widam Foods, which is the major importer of Australian sheep.
The meeting was cancelled although the minister did meet with Qatar National Import and Export Co, Deliopolis, the Global Food Trading Company and Hassad – which already has investments in WA.
Her purpose was to discuss increasing the country’s intake of boxed and chilled meat from Australia to support the export market while it adjusted to changes in Federal government regulations and export requirements over the northern summer months.
Ms MacTiernan said she didn’t think Qatar’s deal with Ireland’s for more of its beef, sheep and poultry meat, which was signed last week, would have an impact on the Australian market situation.
She said markets were changing and with the right marketing push any shortfall in the live sheep trade could be made up by chilled meat.
