AUSTRALIAN livestock have been sold outside approved supply chains in the Middle East and South East Asia, as exporters struggle to make buyers adhere to export standards during the Islamic Festival of Sacrifice.
Animals Australia allege widespread street slaughter of stock which violates Exporter Supply Chain Assurance System (ESCAS) standards, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Oman, Lebanon and Malaysia.
The breaches were identified during the Eid al Adha festival from September 12-15, which celebrates the end of the pilgrim to Mecca.
They allege ESCAS breaches in Kuwait, UAE and Oman were by “repeat offenders” Livestock Shipping Services and Emanuel Exports, which was denied by LSS.
Emanuel Exports managing director Graham Daws said the level of breaches was minimal.
“There were enormous resources over there (with ten staff on the ground), whenever there were breaches they were reported and addressed immediately,” Mr Daws said.
“The level of breaches compared to previous years was minimal.
“There were more issues in Oman this year, and we are now doing a think tank together with the (Federal) Government on what we can further do to improve this going forward.”
Australian live sheep exports were valued at $228 million in 2015 to 2016, with the largest markets to Kuwait, Qatar, Jordan and the UAE.
“If Australian did not have a livestock export market for sheep and cattle, the prices producers are currently receiving would totally collapse,” Mr Daws said.
“It is a way of exporting animals which are additional to slaughter requirements and keep the agricultural sector in a viable position.
“We are trying to ensure that animal welfare standard comply with government standards – this is a challenge from time to time.”
He said Emanuel’s exported 1.5 million small stock to the Middle East annually, and the level of breaches were “minuscule”.
“You cannot turn this industry on and off like a tap, whether it is during Eid or any other time,” he said.
“If you turn it off - like what happened with cattle into Indonesia - the ability to recover is huge because you cannot have ships sitting idle for a period of time.
“We are trying to comply with animal welfare (standards) not only during Eid but for 12 months of the year.”
LSS export manager Paul Keenan denied the claims the company had breached ESCAS during Eid, saying LSS had only 200 sheep in the UAE, which arrived prior to the festivities, and no livestock in Kuwait or Oman during this time.
Animals Australia spokesperson Lisa Chalk said compliance in Jordan had improved after six complaints of recurring non-compliance over three consecutive Eids.
Ms Chalk said since Wellard withdrew from the Jordan market there had been greater incentive for LSS to comply with ESCAS with sheep outside supply chains traceable back to them.
She said the offences committed during Eid represent blatant breaches of regulations by export companies, with regulatory action previously taken by the Department of Agriculture failing to instill in exporters the will to ensure compliance.
“What is clear is that regulatory action previously taken by the Department (of Agriculture) has failed to instil in exporters the will to ensure compliance,” she said.
“We have said time and time again that these regulations will not be taken seriously until export companies face significant commercial consequences such as licence suspensions or loss of markets.”
In 2015, reports of non-compliance relating to sheep outside the supply chain amount to about 0.8 per cent of the 1.3 million sheep shipped to Eid markets last year.
Australian Livestock Export Council chief executive Simon Westaway said exporters played the “leading role” in monitoring markets and detecting any Australian livestock outside of approved supply chains
“We are committed to managing the leakage risk and successfully building of the significant progress achieved over the years,” Mr Westaway said.
“Proactive reporting of leakage and other compliance issues by exporters plays a fundamental role in upholding the integrity of ESCAS.”
He said Australia was the only exporting country which had welfare standards on exported livestock, both for Eid and for normal trading periods throughout the year.
“Our focus remains on driving further supply chain improvements, particularly around traceability and control, to strengthen our systems to better assure the treatment of Australian exported livestock,” he said.
A Department of Agriculture spokesman confirmed exporters and Animals Australia had reported breaches to ESCAS protocols "in several markets" during Eid al Adha.
“Detailed reports will be provided to the department once representatives return to Australia,” he said in a statement.
“Formal investigations will commence once that evidence is received and regulatory action implemented depending on investigation findings.
“Through ESCAS, every incident reported by industry, third parties or discovered through audit findings is investigated and where problems are found exporters are required to address them.”
He said ESCAS was designed to continually improve animal welfare outcomes, not shut down the live export trade.
“Australia has a strong agricultural trading relationship with many Islamic countries and the Australian industry continues to work in destination markets to improve animal welfare outcomes for all animals,” the spokesperson said.