Halal meat exports – a viable alternative

The export of ‘halal’* accredited meat (animals killed in accordance with Muslim requirements) is increasing.  In Australia, halal-killed animals are stunned (rendered unconscious) prior to slaughter.

The Australian Federation of Islamic Councils (AFIC) is appalled by the treatment of Australian animals in the Middle East and equally appalled that the Australian live export industry is trying to convince the Australian public that the region requires live animals, when in fact they can be slaughtered in compliance with Islamic laws in Australia.   Read the AFIC release

* Halal accreditation is administered under the ‘Australian Government Supervised Muslim Slaughter Programme’.  Source: www.ausmeat.com.au

What is halal slaughter? 
Are animals halal-slaughtered in the Middle East? 

Key requirements of halal killing – according to the Koran and Islamic leaders – include:

• not killing animals in the presence of other animals
• the animals are not to be bound
• the slaughterman makes a dedication of the animal to ‘Allah’
• the animal being slaughtered must face Mecca
• the animal should be killed with a single cut to the throat with a long sharp blade, and
• the animal must not suffer prior to slaughter.

Investigations since 2003 in key Middle East countries which import Australian animals have found that the halal requirements (as listed above) are routinely ignored in each of Egypt, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Qatar.

The Economics

The Economic Comparison of Live Export Vs Total Meat Exports from Australia 2008 (Source: Meat and Livestock Australia Market Statistics Database)

Cattle

Sheep

 *Free On Board – the value of the animals before loading in Australia

 The combined export value of meat exports (lamb, mutton and beef) in 2008 was $ 6.29 Billion.
The combined value of live sheep and cattle exports in 2008 was only $ 0.959 Billion.
The international reputation of Australia and its chilled and frozen meat products – worth approximately 6.5 times the export value of  the live export trade – is at risk through the revelations of routine and unacceptable animal suffering of those animals exported live from Australia to the Middle East, both on-board ships and in importing countries.

How does the live export trade compare economically with killing the same animals in Australia?

The S G Heilbron Pty Ltd Report (commissioned by the ‘Australian Meat Processor Corporation Limited’, April 2000) entitled ‘Impact of the Live Animal Export Sector on the Australian Meat Processing Industry’ included the following key points:

• The live export trade could be costing Australia around $1.5 billion in lost GDP, around $270 million in household income, and around 10,500 lost jobs.
• The primary factor driving the profitability of the live export trade is market distortions in favor of live animals.  If it were not for these factors, the rising demand for meat in importing countries would have been met by exports of chilled and frozen meat.

The Australian Meat Industry Employee Union (AMIEU) opposes the live export trade, and estimates the live export industry has cost 40,000 meat worker’s jobs and continues to undermine the sustainability of the abattoir industry – The WA AMIEU Secretary called it an ‘obnoxious trade’ (http://wa.amieu.asn.au/).

The Hassall Report.  Alternatively, an economic report prepared by Hassall & Associates Australia, July 2006: The Live Export Industry: Value, Outlook and Contribution to the Economy was commissioned by Livecorp and Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), and undertaken by a company whose director is a former Chairman of Livecorp.  That report claims that some 12,924 people are employed within the live animal export industry, and that the industry contributes $1.8 billion dollars to gross domestic product per annum.

The Hassall report is flawed; counting as live export industry employees those that would be employed similarly if the animals were killed in Australia (truck drivers, farmers, shearers etc), failing to consider the significantly greater GDP and job creation in the Australian meat processing sector if live export ceased and sheep meat exports increased to the Middle East; and failing to take into account the historical instability and unreliability of the live animal export trade and its effect on Australia’s trade reputation..