ABA Chairman Brad Bellinger said today, “I am most concerned over recent trade data that shows that the USA without a National Livestock Identification Systems (NLIS) is gaining market share in both Japan and the EU compared to the beef exports for Australia.”
Mr Bellinger continued, “The volume of US beef being sent to Japan is up 40% in March 2011 compared to March 2010. Although total imports for Japan increased for March imports from Australia actually fell by around 5% compared with the same period last year.”The devaluation of the US dollar against the yen and the rise in the Australian dollar is to blame for our poor performance in our most valuable export market.Economic reality not NLIS or extra marketing funds to Japan via an increased MLA levy is what Ag Ministers and their advisors need to face.
Mr Bellinger said, “The European Market in which the NLIS promoters said we must have RFID tags shows a glaring example of its irrelevance.”
US beef shipments to the EU are forecast to reach 16,000 tones with Australia shipping roughly 3000 tonnes.
“State Governments have been gullible to believe that NLIS would increase market access when legislating the half billion dollar NLIS white elephant and we need an urgent Inquiry into NLIS using RFID tags”, Mr Bellinger declared. ENDS
For more information please contact Brad Bellinger on 02 6725 4282 Mob 045 822 8989
John Carter 02 4832 1179 or Mob 0427 321 179
For more background information go to our website www.austbeef.com.au
Sally Black
Australian Beef Association
26 Desmond Lane
P O Box 446
OAKEY QLD 4401
Phone: 07 4691 2618
Fax: 07 4691 3814
Mobile: 041 1103 059
Email: austbeef@netspace.net.au
Website: www.austbeef.com.au
