Wellard Ltd says it is keeping a watching brief on reports that Turkey has halted imports of live cattle.
Australia’s largest live exporter told the local stock exchange it was not clear how long the halt, which applies to feeder cattle from all countries, may last.
“News reports indicate that the halt may be temporary. It appears to be in response to an accumulation of stocks in Turkey and aligns with seasonal conditions,” it said.
Wellard said its livestock vessel Ocean Shearer (built 2016) has recently been chartered in the live cattle market between South America and Turkey.
The company said it completed five voyages into Turkey in the 2018 calendar year between May and December.
“At this point it’s not possible to predict the exact impact, if any, on the company’s 2019 shipping schedule,” it said.
Turkey’s imports of feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, breeding cattle and meat increased in both 2017 and in 2018, but are expected to plateau in 2019, according to the US Department of Agriculture.
Last year 900,000 head of cattle were expected to be imported and the cattle population was expected to reach 15.1m head.
