Has The Government Herd About Regional Victoria?
The price of lamb is expected to go up, and availability down, directly because of the Victorian Premier’s latest COVID-19 mandates.
By limiting Melbourne’s abattoir workforce capacity to 80 per cent, the flow on impacts are enormous including a heavy reduction in spring lamb sales and processing.
The ultimate impact is on the consumer, with the price of lamb to rise.
Member for Western Victoria, Bev McArthur, has exposed the issue in the Victorian Parliament and called for the mandate’s immediate reversal.
“Does the Premier and his gang understand this is a poorly timed decision - because our state carries out almost half the lamb production in Australia,” Mrs McArthur said.
If the Premier’s Covid-19 mandate continues through November, it will result in 250,000 fewer lambs being processed - a figure that could rise to 600,000 lambs because some regional processors rely on metropolitan abattoirs for boning.
“This reduced capacity for lamb production comes at the worst possible time, the Spring flush, and in the worst possible year.
“Meat and Livestock Australia is expecting about five million spring lambs this year - half a million more compared to the ten-year average.
“If these are not dealt with in a timely way, Spring lamb is no longer spring lamb, and becomes mutton. This is a critical market definition which directly impacts financial returns to farmers.
“It’s a massive whammy.
“More lambs on farm, fewer sales to processors, less meat prepared, abattoir jobs cut and higher shelf prices.
“Could the Premier have lined up a worse scenario?
“It has national farming, food provision and economic implications.
“The Andrews Government either doesn’t know, or doesn’t care.
“And yet this was entirely predictable. Cedar Meats illustrated this last year. We know about the risk of transmission in abattoirs.
“And surely, we understand how vital this kind of primary production is to our economy and food security?
“Despite this, what has been done to prepare for this year’s Spring lamb season?
“Just like the hospital ICU concerns, we arrive ill prepared at a critical and obvious juncture. Twelve months on, and no lessons have been learnt,” she said.
Mrs McArthur has asked the Victorian Minister for Agriculture, Mary-Anne Thomas, to get involved.
“The action I seek is some rapid catch-up work, and the complete reversal of this policy.”
15 September 2021
