With the last livestock carrier to leave New Zealand disappearing over the horizon carrying cows destined for China, the country’s ban on livestock exports has come into full force.
The New Zealand agriculture minister said on Friday that with the last exports of livestock by sea completed, the two-year transition period since the ban was announced in 2021 has come to an end.
The government implemented the ban after public pressure following the sinking of Gulf Navigation’s 8,400-dwt Gulf Livestock 1 (built 2002) in 2020.
The livestock carrier was en route from New Zealand to China with nearly 6,000 breeding cows when it lost power and capsized after being hit by a wave in Typhoon Maysak. All the cows and 41 of the 43 crew on board lost their lives.
After the disaster, the Ministry for Primary Industries, whose portfolio includes agriculture, suspended exports while an independent study was conducted. Exports were then restarted with more stringent regulations to ensure better conditions for the animals.
New Zealand was once a significant livestock exporter but ceased exporting sheep for slaughter in the Middle East in 2008. It continued to export cows to China, largely for building herds.
Agriculture minister Damien O’Connor said in a statement announcing the cessation of live exports on Friday that the country’s geographic location means voyages to northern hemisphere markets will always be long, resulting in unavoidable animal welfare challenges.
“In a market where consumers are becoming more and more discerning about ethical and environmental credentials, this government has moved to ensure that New Zealand’s reputation for ethical trade is not at risk,” he said.
O’Connor added that, since 2015, live exports by sea have contributed about 0.32% of New Zealand’s primary sector export revenue, which includes farming and mining.
“Whilst we acknowledge the economic benefits for some farmers, we also have to protect the international reputation of our annual NZD 53bn [$32.5bn] primary export industry,” he said.
Reuters reported that New Zealand’s total value of live animal exports last year was NZD 524m.
