Australia plans to prohibit the live export of sheep by sea starting in May 2028, aiming to assist those affected by this decision, stated Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, Bloomberg highlights.
The government’s official response, issued on 11th May, follows an independent report it commissioned regarding the phased cessation of this controversial practice. Minister Watt emphasized the importance of providing certainty by setting a specific end date for the trade.
To support affected businesses, the government will allocate a A$107 million ($70.7 million) transition package. Until the specified end date, trade will continue without additional restrictions like caps or quotas. This ban will not extend to other livestock export sectors or live sheep exports conducted by air.
The sheep export industry has already been scaling back. Australian government data reveals a significant decrease, with approximately 652,000 sheep exported by sea in 2022-23 compared to 5.92 million twenty years ago.
Despite this, the National Farmers’ Federation (NFF) expressed concern that the four-year transition period will have devastating effects on farmers and accused the government of bowing to activist pressure.
