Lucrative live sheep trade survives protests and war

Press, 13 May 1987, Page 26

Lucrative live sheep trade survives protests and war

NZPA-Reuter Kuwait Millions of Australian sheep take a one-way sea voyage to the Middle East every year aboard huge livestock ships in a lucrative trade that has survived animal rights protests and the Gulf war. Up to 120,000 animals at a time occupy aircooled pens on multidecked ships, some the size of 10-storey buildings, for the trip lasting 18 days or more. In spite of criticism from animal rights groups seeking to outlaw live traffic, the trade prospers in Arab markets which still cling strongly to Islamic and desert traditions that demand fresh meat. More than seven million sheep made the trip last year, most of them bound for Gulf Arab States and others destined for Egypt and other North African countries. The 17-year-old trade is worth some SUS2SO million ($435 million) a year to Australia, which has maintained its hold on the market despite bids by competitors such as New Zealand and China.

“I would guess Australia still supplies 75 to 80 per . cent of foreign sales to the Middle East and North Africa,” said Nasser al-Saad al-Munifi, chairman of Kuwait Livestock and Trading Company (KLTC) which runs a five-vessel fleet. An Iranian attack on a vessel carrying thousands of sheep up the Gulf to Kuwait last month prompted-fears of a disruption in shipments and the possibility of renewed animal rights protests in Australia. The Philippines-flag Corriedale Express was hit and set on fire by an Iranian gunboat in Teheran’s bitter war with Iraq, now well into its seventh year. Around 300 sheep died as a result of the attack. But trade officials said shipments were continuing on schedule as stocks were built up for the Islamic holy month of Ramadan and the subsequent feast of Eid elFitr. Criticism of the trade has centred on accusations of poor conditions causing deaths on the ocean passage, and the

Moslem “halal” slaughter ritual under which an animal’s throat is slit and it bleeds to death. There was an outcry abroad after 15,000 sheep died on a ship off Fujairah in the Gulf of Oman more than two years ago. The deaths were blamed on ventilation equipment failure. Australia’s Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals called for a total ban on live sheep exports, and an Australian Senate select committee two years ago said there were possible grounds for concern over the animals’ welfare. Because of the money earned — an estimated 7 per cent of total export revenue in 1984-85 — the trade continued, but under close scrutiny. The Australian Government appointed a veterinary officer to investigate the traffic. Industry sources said that even before the Fujairah accident, money had poured into improving housing, feeding and other travel conditions. They said the death toll had fallen to 2 per cent from over 10 per cent

several years ago. As debate on the issue swirled in Australia, New Zealand responded to feelers from Gulf States fearing a disruption in trade -and lifted a previ-ously-imposed ban on live exports. It now has a prestige contract to supply Saudi Arabia with 500,000 head for the annual Islamic Haj (pilgrimage) to Mecca, which all Muslims are urged to attempt once in their lifetime. As far back as 1984, Kuwait — the biggest export market after Saudi Arabia — approached China to buy live sheep, and later sounded out Brazil and Uruguay in case Australian sales were curtailed. Alter a trial shipment of 20,000 sheep, Chinese supplies shot up to 120,000 a year. But they slumped again last season to 40,000 due to what one trade source described as “hiccups which needed rectifying.” China has a contract to sell 100,000 sheep ,to Kuwait in its next export season from the coming October to March next year.