Press Release

Western Australian livestock producers are calling on the Federal Government to support a minor exemption to the June to September moratorium on live exports, to allow for the loading of 56,000 sheep stranded at a Baldivis feedlot following six crew members on the Al Kuwait testing positive for COVID -19 on Monday. The voyage is required to leave by 1 June 2020, however it is unlikely that a replacement crew would be secured in time to meet the deadline.

“This is an extraordinary situation that requires a sensible decision from the Federal Department of Agriculture to grant a minor exemption to allow the Al Kuwait to fly in a new crew and allow the sheep to be loaded as soon as possible,’ Pastoralists and Graziers Association (PGA) President Tony Seabrook said today.

“Given the existing State Covid-19 restrictions, any new crew flying in could be possibly quarantined for another two weeks, which would mean that if an exemption to the moratorium is not granted, the sheep will not be loaded, creating an oversupply on the local market that will reduce livestock prices for farmers.”

“This is a minor exemption for an exporter that has been caught in an extraordinary situation, and it needs to be granted as a matter of urgency. I call on Federal Agriculture Minister David Littleproud to show his support for this measure on behalf of Western Australian sheep producers."

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