EU Australia Online - News & information from the capital of Europe direct to Australian businesses

Roos Breed Up But Russian Ban Stays

  • January 5th, 2010
  • Posted by EUEditor

kangaroos-fredoniaedu.jpegHeavy rain in inland Australia has seen a jump in kangaroo numbers, and extension of kill quotas  – but Russia’s ban on imports will leave much of the quota unmet.

storm-qld-flickr.jpegRains in the North in the last few months have caused kangaroo numbers to breed up, so federal authorities last month sanctioned increased culling in Queensland.

With commercial quotas set at 10-20% of population, some one-million Eastern greys and 880-thousand red kangaroos may be shot.

That off-sets a tightening of quotas further South, in New South Wales, shortly before Christmas , where drought was continuing.

The New Year has seen yet more rain, and flooding, throughout much of the interior, in both States.

kangaroo-wikimediaorg.jpegHowever the increased availability of kangaroo meat for diners with a taste for the exotic, (not to mention their  household pets), is likely to come to nothing, because of a continuing import ban in Russia, the largest customer.

kangaroo-energygs.jpegRussian authorities imposed the embargo in mid-2009 citing problems with hygiene, and to date have been unmoved by representations from Australian interests.

Staff have been laid off from abattoirs, with fears of as many as 2500 being put out of work in Western towns.

The episode is redolent of friction between Russia and Eastern European states that were moving to closer links with the European Union in 2007.

Meat shipments from Romania and Poland were blocked on grounds of sanitation.

The friction between the  former overlord state and its emancipated clients became a problem for Brussels negotiators, as the EU is responsible for external trade on the part of its 27 member countries.  (See EUAustralia,  27.4.07, “Commentary: Yeltsin – Putin and their troubles with the West”).

Reference

“Kangaroo Plague follows Australian rains”, BBC News, London, 22.12.09. http://news.bbc.co.uk / . .. (5.1.10).

Chrissy Arthur, “New roo meat quotas set”, ABC News, Sydney, 23.12.09. http://www.abc.net.au/news/ … (5.1.10).

“Kangaroos Run Rampant After Heavy Rains In Australia”, RedOrbit, RedOrbit Inc., Texas, 23.12.09. http://www.redorbit.com (5.1.10).

Fiona Myers, “Drought Triggers Roos Ban”, Weekly Times Now, Melbourne, 18.12.09. http://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au (5.1.10).

Pictures

Fredonia, Wikipedia.org, energy gs, flickr