TENS of thousands more sheep could be exported from Western Australia this year if the Federal Government agrees to a proposed 10-day relaxation on the departure date for Middle East live export shipments during the Northern Summer.

On Monday this week, Western Australia’s Minister for Agriculture and Food Jackie Jarvis asked federal Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Forestry to allow Middle East sheep shipment departures from Fremantle for an extra 10 days to 24 June.

Currently, live sheep shipments travelling to some Middle Eastern ports cannot leave Fremantle after 14 June and up to 14 September to avoid hot conditions in the Middle East.  Shipments to most ME ports can recommence after 14 September, or after 21 September for Qatar. Australia’s export rules state that sheep must not be exported from an Australian port between 15 June and 14 September on a vessel that travels through the Red Sea.

Ms Jarvis sought the moratorium change “subject to favourable weather conditions in the Northern Hemisphere and the usual animal welfare considerations”, seeking a reply from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry “as soon as possible.”

Ms Jarvis told Mr Watt that Western Australian farmers are facing one of the worst dry seasons on record, impacting agricultural producers across the state. The minister convened the Western Australian Dry Season Taskforce’s first meeting on 19 April.

Ms Jarvis said the taskforce identified that WA sheep producers have excess stock in the system and need a relief valve and an extra days before the start of the moratorium would allow a significant number of these sheep to be exported.

Mr Watt: told Sheep Central that Minister Jarvis is a strong advocate for rural and regional areas of WA, so it’s no surprise that she would be fighting on their behalf.

“Under legislation introduced by the Nationals in the wake of the Awassi Express tragedy, the responsibility for the administration of the rules around Live Sheep Exports rests with the Secretary of the Department of Agriculture.

“I will continue working with Minister Jarvis and the WA Government to ensure farmers are supported through this dry spell,” he said.

A single extra ship would be valuable relief for WA sheep producers – ALEC

Industry opinions vary on how many additional shipments the change would allow, but Australian Livestock Exporters Council chief executive officer Mark Harvey-Sutton said even a single additional shipment of livestock from WA could mean that tens of thousands more sheep will be exported.

“This would be a valuable relief for WA producers who are hurting at the moment.

“The WA Government’s assistance in pushing for the reduction the moratorium demonstrates that they understand how valuable live export is to Western Australian producers and it is good that this message is being passed on to their Federal counterparts – hopefully it will help them understand how disastrous the ban of live sheep exports would be for Western Australian farmers and their families,” Mr Harvey Sutton said.

The Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council applauded the efforts of WA Minister for Agriculture, Jackie Jarvis, for her efforts in supporting the live export trade out of Western Australia by writing to her Federal counterpart, Minister Watt to call for a delay in the shipping moratorium start date.

“It is pleasing to see Minister Jarvis and the Western Australian Premier, Roger Cook acknowledge that live export is important to Western Australia and nationally,” Mr Harvey-Sutton said.

Mr Harvey-Sutton said that industry had repeatedly warned that the phase out policy was having a direct impact on market conditions by eroding confidence.

“The Federal Government has been warned of this for the last 12 months at least, but has ignored it and refused to accept any responsibility.

“The situation we see today is all of industry’s warnings coming to fruition, and we call on the Albanese Government to finally start listening to WA farmers.”

Moratorium change could allow 100,000 sheep to be exported

Pastoralists and Graziers Association Livestock Committee chair Chris Patmore said delaying the start of the moratorium would enable the departure of at least another 2-3 shipments of sheep that could amount to more than 100,000 extra sheep.

“And it can be done quite safely,” he said.

Mr Patmore said the value of the live export sheep would be worth $50-$60 to farmers, but the forward store condition sheep not suitable for slaughter in Australia and currently had not much value in saleyards.

“If they are not finished, the saleyard price is next to nothing at the moment, because of a huge oversupply and a lack of local buyers or restockers.”

Mr Patmore said there was a mix of markets seeking Australian sheep, including Saudi Arabia.

WAFarmers president John Hassell supported the committee’s decision on the moratorium, but believed it might only mean an extra 20,000 sheep being shipped.

“Unfortunately we are only dealing with 20,000-sheep ships at the moment when we should be having 60,000 sheep on a ship, but the Federal Government is making it difficult.

“There is no confidence among the shipping companies in the industry.

“Why would the exporters bring ships here when they’ve got to find markets elsewhere when the trade is gone?”

Mr Hassell said Mr Watt did not understand that the proposed live sheep by sea phaseout has “absolutely killed” the sheep market in Western Australia “wiping people out left, right and centre.”

“He won’t release the (live export panel) report, there is so much uncertainty, no-one really knows where they are at – the shipping companies, farmers and the shipping companies…

“There are so many livestock still on farms because we haven’t been able to turn livestock off because of this decision, and the Qatar Airlines decision doesn’t help either.”

Sheep Producers of Australia chief executive officer Bonnie Skinner said the Western Australian sheep industry is currently facing an incredibly difficult situation brought on by ongoing dry conditions, financial constraints, and a severely depressed sheep market.

“Sheep Producers Australia has over the past 12 months been working to communicate the risks of the combination of these factors for sheep producers and the industry.

“While producers are working through their own seasonal strategies to manage the prolonged dry season the current market conditions are making it difficult to move certain classes of stock off farm,” she said.

“It is anticipated that this situation will worsen with the upcoming live sheep export moratorium and continuing dry short term rain outlook.

“Live export provides a relief valve to farmers in WA suffering dry conditions and an increase in competition in the sheep market,” Ms Skinner said.

Ms Skinner said Sheep Producers Australia is actively advocating for options that could relieve pressure on producers at this time including reviewing the live export moratorium cut off time for vessels and adding additional air freight access for sheep meat exports out of Perth.

“Sheep Producers Australia is continuing to call for the recognition of the unique and important role live export plays in the WA Sheep and lamb market and its continuation as a market open to WA producers.

“Sheep Producers Australia is a member of the WA Dry Season Taskforce and will continue advocate for ongoing and immediate support for the industry.”

RSPCA opposes reducing prohibition period

An RSPCA spokesperson said the organisation acknowledged the difficult season that WA sheep farmers have had over the past few months with very little rain and fodder now depleting rapidly.

“Throughout all of this, the RSPCA wants to see outcomes that ensure the welfare of Australian sheep and we’re concerned that reducing the Northern Hemisphere summer prohibition period will not do this.

“It would only allow for more Australian sheep to be live exported, in a period where we know the climatic conditions will cause additional and severe stress and pose even further animal welfare risks,” the spokesperson said.

“The current situation demonstrates why it’s so important that the Australian Government allocates funds to a structural adjustment package in the upcoming Federal Budget, to assist farmers to make the transition out of this trade, and why it’s so important the Government legislates, this year, an end date.”