John Croaker, CEO Australian Brahman Breeders Association advised me that Shane Bishop President of Australian Brahman Breeders Association and the Vice-President Matt McCamley recently visited Indonesia and met with the Director General of Livestock Services organised by the Australian Embassy and the President of GAPSI Dicky Adiwoso.
Topics for discussion during the meeting included the formation of an Indonesian Brahman Breeders Association and the induction of Indonesia into the World Brahman Federation at the forthcoming World Brahman Congress to be held in Rockhampton in May.
The Director General has accepted an invitation to give an address at the Congress. The DG will be accompanied by senior staff who administer the Brahman breeding centre in Palembang. The centre was part of the visit program, Shane and Matt were impressed with many of the cattle and the pastures that had been developed by the DGLS team. The ABBA will aim to work closely with this centre and discussions will be held in Rockhampton on how the relationship can develop in the future.
Planning is underway for the importation of significant numbers of Brahman heifers. The group drove north from Jakarta calling at the breed lot of Joyce Gunawan whose father John was well known and respected by many of Australia’s livestock identities.
After crossing from Java to Sumatra the group stayed opposite baby Krakatoa volcano, and enjoyed the hospitality of resort managing director Dicky Adiwoso.
Visits were then made to some of Indonesia’s leading feedlots where Shane and Matt were in awe with the extremely high level of livestock management.
Imported Brahman heifers were inspected in a small holder environment and the significant contribution that even one heifer can make to the income of a small low income family was quite amazing.
The group then travelled to the Malaysian state of Sarawak and visited three plantations with Australian Brahman cattle thriving under palm oil trees.
Australian Beef Exports Slower
Meat and Livestock Association advised that Australian beef and veal exports started 2016 at a slower pace than one year ago, limited primarily by the corresponding decline in cattle slaughter.
For January, shipments reached 58,304 tonnes swt, down 14pc from last year’s record volume, yet were still 4pc above the five-year average.
Interestingly, the grassfed component of exports were down (16pc year-on-year) to a greater extent than grainfed (down 4pc}, reflecting the greater proportion of cattle on feed at present. Grassfed beef exports for January were 43,983 tonnes swt, while grainfed were 14,321 tonnes swt.
The US remained Australia’s largest beef export destination in January, despite a 35pc year-on-year decline in volume. While this may seem surprising, considering quota allocations are no longer an issue like towards the end of 2015, cold storage pork and poultry volumes are higher than last year, and so is US beef production. Manufacturing shipments accounted for the majority of shipments, as usual, and were also down 35pc year-on-year, at 10,686 tonnes swt.
Trade to Japan was very slow, with exports down 25pc, at 11,655 tonnes swt. The frozen component declined the most (32pc), to 5,687 tonnes swt, as buyers adopted a wait-and-see approach and let existing stocks run down to start the year. Competition from Korea and China for cuts that are traditionally in high demand in Japan is also partly attributable.
Korea bucked the trend and shipments increased 27pc year-on-year, to 9,510 tonnes swt, despite the lower Australian production. The growth to Korea largely offsets the decline to shipments to Japan, and was also assisted by the third round of tariff reductions on Australian beef. The primary items that underpinned the rise were the key cuts of blade, brisket, chuck roll, and manufacturing beef.
China also moved in the opposite direction to the general trend, with exports to increasing 28pc from the previous year, to 5,317 tonnes swt. This builds on the momentum from the end of 2015, and will be an interesting one to monitor as 2016 progresses, considering the forecast lower Australian production and heightening competition from Brazil.
Reflecting the strong appetite for Australian beef in Indonesia, Australian beef exports more than doubled in January, to 3,958 tonnes swt. Similarly, exports to the EU jumped 30pc year-on-year, to 1,328 tonnes swt, buoyed by a surge (37pc) in grainfed beef shipments.
Limited supplies, combined with the economic impact of low oil prices on regional economies, underpinned lower volumes (8pc) to the Middle East, at 2,987 tonnes swt.
For 2016, the lower year-on-year trend is expected to continued, yet the distribution between markets will vary greatly.
Entries now open into “legendairy” competitions
Kelly Hawke, RNA Media and Communications Officer advised that The Royal Queensland Food and Wine Show (RQFWS) is calling for the nation’s finest cheeses, dairy products, ice creams, gelati and sorbets as entries opened this week for the prestigious competitions.
Whether it’s a medal worthy aged cheddar or creamy camembert, the experienced RQFWS judges will award the crème de le crème.
This year, renowned international food judge and cheesemaker, Russell Smith, will return as Chief Judge of the Cheese and Dairy Produce Show and Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbet Competition.
Mr Smith, who has more than 20 years’ experience in the industry, will oversee an expert judging panel which will be made up of some of Australia’s most respected and experienced food industry professionals.
Last year’s judges tasted their way through more than 600 entries from across the nation, with Tarwin Blue produced by Berrys Creek Gourmet Cheese taking out the coveted Palatable Partners Champion Cheese of Show and Colin James Fine Food taking out the Majors Group Grand Champion Ice Cream, Gelato or Sorbet of Show for their Chocolate Gelato.
The Cheese & Dairy Produce Show and Ice Cream, Gelato & Sorbet Competitions saw a 20 per cent increase in entry numbers in 2015, confirming them as some of the premier dairy competitions in the country.
The Dairy Produce Show stems back to the first ever Royal Queensland Show (Ekka) in 1876, making it one of the RNA’s oldest competitions.
The RQFWS is a prestigious competition that unearths Australia’s top food and wine products, it is dedicated to celebrating and promoting the nation’s best of the best.
The 2016 competitions include the Cheese and Dairy Produce Show, Ice Cream, Gelato and Sorbet Competition, Branded Beef Competition, Branded Lamb Competition, Royal Queensland Wine Show (RQWS), Sausage King and Ham, Bacon and Smallgoods Competition.
Entries close on March 18, 2016. Visit www.rqfws.com.au for more information