Live exports to Lebanon to resume
Australia is poised to reopen the live export trade with Lebanon for the first time since the notorious "Ship of Shame" episode.
Federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce is likely to confirm this week that exporters will be free to sell cattle, sheep and goats into the market, opening up a major new revenue stream for WA farmers.
The industry is forecasting Australia will export 10,000 head of cattle and 80,000 head of sheep to Lebanon, with strong growth in the trade in years to come.
_The West Australian _understands Lebanese and Australian veterinary authorities have reached an agreement on animal health certification requirements for live feeder and slaughter cattle, sheep and goats. Exporters will now be required to prove all sales will meet anti-cruelty requirements as laid out under the previous Labor government.
Australia cut the live trade to Lebanon after more than 50,000 sheep were left stranded aboard export vessel Cormo Express for almost three months in 2003.
The animals, which had been loaded at Fremantle, were supposed to be shipped to Saudi Arabia but were refused by a series of nations, including Lebanon, because of claims the load was infected with scabby mouth.
The sheep were left to slowly die in sweltering heat and the boat became known as the Ship of Shame. The surviving stock were eventually donated to the impoverished African nation of Eritrea where they were slaughtered in a makeshift abattoir.
The incident was a major embarrassment to the Howard government and resulted in new requirements demanding importing countries to unload shipments of animals regardless of disputes or claims of illness.
Lebanon will be the sixth new live export market Mr Joyce has opened for Australian exporters since the coalition came to power.
The Government has been trying to rebuild the live export trade after the ban on exports to Indonesia after revelations of animal cruelty.
