The meat industry, which is a significant contributor to the Australian economy, is now hoping to engage with Chinese authorities to resume the full potential of an export trade once worth almost A$4 billion (US$2.76 billion).
Australian meat exporters were hit by a series of bans on 9 abattoirs licensed to process Australian beef and sheep for the China market. The bans were imposed from March 2020 to August 2021 for ‘technical reasons’ including Covid and labelling.
While the export trade with China has resumed through other outlets, it is now down to A$2.9 billion (US$2 billion) a year.
As political relations with China gradually improved, the Meat Industry is now prepared to do whatever is needed to re-engage with the China authorities as well as the relevant trade parties to boost their exports to China, the world’s largest meat eater contributing to more than 30% of the entire world consumption of meat.
