@springyzone wrote:
@chameleon54 wrote:
Livestock sales are continuing with entry restricted to agents, livestock carriers and registered buyers only. No farmers allowed. The abattiors are still operating and due to already existing, strict health protocols plan to continue without too much disruption to the food chain.
The only thing causing problems is the very high price of livestock which is forcing some processing companies to reduce shifts as it is not economic to process livestock at current prices. China has re-entered the international protien market after a period of abscence, although refrigerated transport and shipping is still unreliable.
Hmm, if livestock prices are very high here and china or anywhere else is seeking to buy our meat, maybe for the interim of the corona virus season the government should stop all exports as that would only make a scarce product scarcer.
We're going to have a lot of people here doing it tough, a lot of unemployment or under employment, a lot of people off work on no wages and the trouble with shortages is they push prices up.
That's all very well for sellers and admittedly they would not do as well if forced to sell on the local market but I think it is time for our government to put our own population first.
Just some further thoughts on the idea of banning exports of meat to force framers to subsidise domestic consumers.
We need to look at why the meat is so dear in the first place. There are several reasons for this.
* The Drought - farmers have already experienced two to three years of no income ( the scenario the general population is just facing now for the first time ). They have already had to push their bankers to the limit, borrowing heavily to feed breeding stock. This was done on the understanding that if they could get some of their stock through, they would at least reap some reward with higher meat prices following the drought.
* The increase in demand from Australia's export nation partners. Meat is becoming a luxury product like crayfish. It is expensive to produce and more people want it.
* As mentioned it is becoming more expensive to produce. The cost of Hay and Grains are extreme due to both the drought and longer term trends of rising costs for everything ( including land ) . If farmers can not re-coup their costs, they go broke.
* A change in land use away from grazing to producing more grains and horticultural products. Young farmers simply don't want to be bothered shearing sheep and facing the dangers of handling cattle ( injuries from cattle are common and painful ). They would rather sit in a tractor with the GPS steering on, scrolling through their phone. If you ban meat exports, ( even for a short time ) more farmers will simply switch to other ventures and there will be even less meat at more extreme prices......... permanently.
I can change my whole farm production from meat to grains in one week with around four phone calls on my remote 1100 acre farm. ( at this time of the year at least ) It really is that simple.
Phone call one - Call the neighbour who currently leases my cropping ground and tell him he can have the whole farm this season ( He is looking to expand his cropping operation )
Phone call two - Call my livestock agent and book all of the ewes on the property into the abattiors.
Phone call three - call the truckie to collect them.
Phone call four - book a table at the pub - night out to celebrate - no more handling struggling sheep.... Job Done !!!!
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