28 May 2014

MEDIA RELEASE

Iran livestock export market has 1,000,000 head potential

Livestock exporters and sheep producers have today welcomed the announcement by the Minister
for Agriculture, the Hon Barnaby Joyce MP of the opening of the Iran market for livestock exports,
the CEO of the Australian Livestock Exporters Council, Alison Penfold and the CEO of the Sheepmeat
Council of Australia, Kathleen Ferme said today.

The announcement follows an agreement between the Australian and Iranian Governments on
important health protocols that set out the requirements that exporters must meet for livestock to
be accepted for import into Iran.

Todays announcement has been a long time in the making and comes after many years of hard
work by industry and Government officials on both sides, Ms Penfold said.

The agreement means that exporters of cattle and sheep can now move to establish commercial
arrangements with Iranian importers including supply chains with approved welfare assurance
measures.

In the late 1960s/early 1970s Iran was the largest importer of Australian sheep reaching over 3
million head and industry sees strong potential for the market to reach back into the seven digit
range of over around 1 million head of sheep a year.

That 1 million head also comes with the benefit of Irans use of pre-slaughter stunning and the
Australian live export sectors in-market training and support services around animal welfare.

Ms Ferme said that todays announcement is particularly welcome news for sheep producers
especially in Western Australia, who have done it tough in the last couple of years.

The opening of new markets provides great opportunity for producers and potentially increased
returns to the farm gate.

Producers have been waiting with anticipation for the opening of the Iranian market while we
continue negotiations to reopen the Saudi Arabia market which has the potential of returning to a
million head plus market, Ms Ferme said.

Ends

Contact
Alison Penfold (ALEC) 0408 633 026
Kathleen Ferme (SCA) 0417 808 486