AGRICULTURE Minister David Littleproud has announced the consultation period is now open on the draft new Export Control Rules for meat and meat products.
A 2015 review of current laws found improvements could be made to better respond and adapt to changing market conditions and importing country requirements.
Once adopted, the new rules will replace the Export Control (Meat and Meat Products) Orders, parts of the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry Act, the Australian Meat and Livestock Industry (Export Licensing) Regulations and the Export Control (Prescribed Goods- General) Order.
Mr Littleproud said: “Our industry needs to be responsive to changing overseas market conditions without slugging our farmers.
“These rules will make exporting meat straightforward and cut duplication of paperwork and processes. This will support access to export markets making sure our reputation for reliable, high-quality meat is upheld.”
Interested parties can make a submission by emailing the Export Legislation Taskforce at exportlegislation@agriculture.gov.au (no word limit) or by using the online submission form contained in DAWR’s web page http://www.agriculture.gov.au/market-access-trade/export-regulation-review/consultation#online-form which limits comments to 500 words.
Submissions close December 21.
Postcard from Barcelona
FOOD is an integral part of Catalan culture and the people of this north-eastern part of Spain revel in the unrivalled offerings of fresh meat, fish, fruit and vegetables in the region’s food markets.
Scattered throughout its varied neighbourhoods, Barcelona has nearly 40 such markets with perhaps Mercat de la Boqueria one of the better known and frequented because of its proximity to the bustling La Rambla shopping precinct in the Raval neighbourhood.
Variety and quality of food on display in this market is simply amazing. Meat cabinets were bursting with cuts of veal and more mature beef of every description.
The leanness and pinkness of the veal contrasted with the deeper red of the beef cuts which varied in fat content from minimal to generous and from white to deep yellow in colour.
Local product sat alongside some magnificent Black Angus rib eye from Nebraska at €49.90 (A$78)/kg, Kobe Wagyu at €130(A$205)/kg and grassfed rib eye from Argentina at €32.90(A$51)/kg,
Local veal sold from €12-15(A$15-23)/kg and while there was what appeared to be local high-quality beef around the €110(A$172)/kg mark, there was also an abundance of beef in the €10-25(A$15-39)/kg range.
But the thing that really stood out was the huge selection of hamburger (burguer) patties.
Burguer Bangladesh, Mexicana, garlic and parsley, brie and ham, goat cheese, blue cheese and nuts, porcini mushroom and lots more were on offer in a price range of €10-13(A$15-20)/kg.
While tapas is a popular food tradition in Spain, burgers are also very popular in small restaurants and bars and judging by the rate at which the patties were disappearing from the display, are very much in demand for home cooking as well.
2018 rivals 2014-15 in herd liquidation
LATEST ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) slaughter figures for September confirm that 2018 will rank with the worst years for herd liquidation since the current dry spell began in 2013.
For the month of September, 51.1pc of the 660,000 head slaughtered were females. This makes six months in a row of more than 50pc of females in the kill with a peak of 53.7pc occurring in June and a nine-month progressive average of 50.7pc to end of September.
Since the June peak, the percentage of females has trended down slightly and this should accelerate to a steeper decline when the rain-affected October figures come to hand.
This rain is likely to pull the female percentage for the past three months of the year down into the mid to high 40s. On that basis the whole-year average should come in at around 49.5pc or a touch higher.
By comparison, the two big drought liquidation years of 2014 and 2015 recorded 50.6pc and 49.4pc females in the kill. Obviously the huge 9.2 million kill in 2014 and 9 million in 2015 overshadow the anticipated 7.8 million expected this year.
In absolute terms more females were killed in those years than will be the case this year but the salient point is that 2018 has returned to near-worst rate of liquidation experienced in the current six-year run of dry years.
With really no indication of any rebuilding in 2016 and only marginal herd growth expected to show up in the 2017 figures, it would seem a case of one little step forward and a much bigger step back.
The next ABS Census in 2021 will provide some answers on herd dynamics since 2016 but in the meantime best guesses as to the current size of the Australian herd will have to suffice.
Steady run to year end
WITH the October rain now a memory and thoughts turning to whether there will be any follow up, the flow of cattle has settled into a steady pattern that is likely to run through to the Christmas closures.
Normally the final quarter delivers a surge in numbers but one major processor I spoke to this week thought that with only four or five weeks to go any spike now will be pretty modest.
The jump in price that occurred in October brought some response in numbers but for some plants not enough to get back to full production.
More than $100/head was represented in the extra 35 cents on offer which took 4-tooth ox to 555c/kg and heavy cow to 480. Normally that sort of money would not last long under heavy enquiry and the fact that it remains on offer points to the conclusion that numbers are simply not there.
Similarly it has been reported that supply of heavy feeders has tightened considerably in recent weeks, making it difficult to replace exits and maintain feedlot occupancy levels.
Advice to date on final kills for the year: Dinmore December 19, Beenleigh continuing right through, Oakey December 18 recommencing January 4, Biloela December 6, Lakes Creek December 20.