AUSTRALIAN sheep have been detected outside of approved facilities in the Eid al Adha festival supply chains in the Middle East in the past week.
Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council CEO Simon Westaway said exporter representatives in the Middle East had identified Australian sheep outside of approved supply chains in recent days and, in keeping with Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) protocols, have proactively advised the department.
Under ESCAS requirements, Australian livestock must not be sold outside of approved supply chains and cannot be purchased for home slaughter or for slaughter at facilities that have not been approved as meeting international animal welfare standards.
The leakage of livestock outside the ESCAS system continues to present major challenges to the Australian livestock industry.
“The department has been advised of a number of leakages and exporters will continue to liaise closely with departmental staff in the coming days,” Mr Westaway said.
“Exporters have Australian staff on the ground in our markets across the Middle East supervising the management arrangements at approved facilities for Australian sheep over Eid al Adha, while other Australian and locally engaged staff have been monitoring local markets for illegally removed sheep.
“As outlined by ALEC chairman Simon Crean upon his return from a recent tour of the Middle East, despite the ESCAS-compliance measures in place, industry was aware of the risk that some Australian animals would be traded outside of the approved supply chain.
“Such leakage, while reflecting the commercial desperation of local traders to offer Australian sheep to the public, undermines the significant collaborative efforts of exporters in the market to develop the special livestock management systems for Eid.”
Mr Westaway said the industry will review its supply chain systems at the conclusion of Eid and continue to implement measures that prevent Australian sheep from being removed illegally from supply chains, not just during Eid but at any time of year.
“There has been a genuine collaborative effort in the supply chain to drive locals to source Australian sheep slaughtered under the best halal slaughter conditions that meet international animal welfare standards,” Mr Westaway said.
“We thank the many people who work with us to implement these systems during Eid. There is clearly more to be done and we’ll continue to work in-market with our supply chain partners because collaboration is proven to be the driver of improvements in traceability and animal welfare.”
According to Mr Westaway special livestock control systems are implemented for Australian sheep in Middle East markets, over and above ESCAS requirements, to support the traditional rite to sacrifice animals as part of the Eid Al Adha festival.
