IN A small win for Australia’s ailing kangaroo meat industry the federal government has secured market access to Peru, but more work is needed.
Kangaroo Industry Association of Australia executive officer John Kelly said Peru is only a small market and more progress is needed in getting the product into China on a large scale.
His comments follow the announcement Peru received its first commercial size shipment of kangaroo meat last month, and the product is now sitting on supermarket shelves in the country’s capital, Lima.
The shipment wraps up extensive negotiations between Australian and Peruvian authorities on import conditions, health certification and the process for approval of Australian export establishments.
Mr Kelly welcomed the government's assistance, but said trade to Peru will not be enough to turn around the industry, which suffered badly when Russia banned Australian kangaroo meat imports in 2008 when it claimed E.Coli bacteria had been detected.
“Every little bit helps, but if industry is to really get back on its feet we need a much larger and a more substantial market than Peru,” Mr Kelly said.
“The freight costs involved in getting product into Peru are substantial, and more, it’s a market that's awash with cheap beef so it’s not something we expect to be at all huge.”
He said the first shipment to Peru was sent by air, a total of one tonne, but it remained to be seen whether they would commit to receiving one fully loaded shipping container, which would weigh 15t.
Federal Agriculture Minister Joyce said expanding market access for Australian agricultural products was a priority for the Australian Government.
