Peak producer group Cattle Council of Australia (CCA) said opening up trade pathways and reducing technical trade barriers was key to ensuring Australia’s beef industry remained globally competitive.

CCA president Howard Smith said producers wanted the government to find a way to move forward on the TPP. 

“Cattle Council remain supportive of the principles of the TPP and believe it would be a major win for the entire beef industry supply chain as well as consumers - by improving market access, lowering import costs and reducing red tape,” he said.

“There are still 11 other countries committed to participating in the TPP and we support the Government’s commitment to find a way to move forward with it.”

The Cattle Council continues to support the TPP and its principles, as it will deliver improved access conditions to Canada and Mexico for the red meat industry and reduction of tariffs on beef exported to Japan, he said.

Mr Smith conceded it was disappointing the US won’t be involved in the TPP, but said we now need to look to other avenues of furthering trade relations.

“The US remains a substantial market for Australian produce and while the America’s involvement in the TPP would have been beneficial for international trade relations, we must move forward,” Mr Smith said.

Should the TPP not go ahead, the Cattle Council will look to the government to pursue bi-lateral negotiations with other key trading partners while pursuing on going trade liberalisation through multi-lateral agreements such as the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.

“We are a trading nation – liberalised trade only brings benefit to the beef industry,” Mr Smith said.

Herd numbers set to rise

Australia’s cattle herd size is set to grow during this year after a steady 20-year decline.

The nation’s cattle herd is expected to be at 25.9 million head in 2017, a historical 24-year low and down from 29 million head in 2014.

But, Meat & Livestock Australia’s senior beef market analyst Ben Thomas said national indicators point to the nation’s cattle herd increasing during the second half of 2017.

“The national female percentage of adult cattle slaughtered has now dropped below the 47 per cent mark, which indicates our cattle herd numbers are in a rebuilding phase,” Mr Thomas said.

Despite a predicted rise in cattle herd numbers, market analysts expect cattle supply to remain tight over the next six months.