Export Opportunities Forecast
Australia - 200 Brahman have been flown cattle class as part of a programme to improve Indonesia's domestic herd.
14 November 2012
2 minute read
ABC Rural reports the pregnant heifers from Bunda Station in the Northern Territory flew out on a specialised Boeing 747 on Sunday morning and will be used in a breeding program on a government farm in southern Sumatra.
Adam Armstrong, from the export company Lembiru, says there's high demand for quality breeders in Indonesia as it looks to become beef self-sufficient by 2014.
"For those producers here who have registered cattle, there will be opportunities in the future, to get (cattle) onto these airfreight loads which are high value loads due to registered Brahman's being in demand," he said.
President of the NT Cattlemen's Association, David Warriner, says sending breeders to Indonesia will not damage the Australian industry's desire to increase live exports.
"I think some people, and even some producers, may think it's unusual that we are sending breeding stock to Indonesia, especially when there is a lot of talk about self-sufficiency.
"That is understandable. However, you only have to spend some time in Indonesia and understand the enormous economic and social development that is driving accelerated demand for protein and seriously challenging local production capacity.
Bunda Station's stud manager, Brent McCarthy, says the breeder deal has been a good one for the station and something they'd be keen to do again.
"It has been a good deal, but a lot of hard work and it's finally come to fruition now... and it's something we'd like to continue doing."
"It is thought by exporters that Indonesian growth will continue to provide Australia with opporunities in the longer term.
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