EAN 2024-10: Exports of sheep and goats to Malaysia leading into Korban 2024

Species: Sheep and goats

Countries: Malaysia

Attention

• Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council (ALEC)
• Department Officers
• Livestock Exporters
• LiveCorp
• Meat and Livestock Australia

Purpose

To advise exporters of the requirements for the export of sheep and goats to Malaysia in the lead up to Korban 2024.

Key points

• There is an increased demand for livestock during the Korban festival (predicted to commence on 18 June 2024) and this may lead to an increased risk of non-compliance with ESCAS requirements.
• The Australian Livestock Exporters’ Council has advised the department that its members have agreed not to export sheep or goats to Malaysia in the six weeks prior to Korban 2024.
• The department will require any exporters planning to export feeder/slaughter sheep or goats to Malaysia between 8 May and 19 June 2024 to submit a Korban management plan.
• Consignments of breeder sheep and goats planned for export to Malaysia between 8 May and 19 June 2024 will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Instructions

1. Exporters are responsible for ensuring compliance with all ESCAS control, traceability and animal welfare requirements.
2. Where necessary, exporters may put in place additional risk management measures to ensure relevant regulatory requirements continue to be met during periods of high demand, such as Korban.
3. If an exporter intends to export sheep and goats to Malaysia between 8 May and 19 June 2024, it will be required to submit a Korban management plan that includes:
   1. An outline of the management of the supply chain, including a list of positions and corresponding roles and responsibilities. This is to include any additional or temporary positions for in-market staff.
   2. Identification of high-risk locations in the supply chain and management strategies to mitigate these risks.
      1. Including allocation of resources (e.g. animal welfare officers) in the lead up to and during Korban.
   3. Additional actions to be implemented during Korban to ensure compliance with ESCAS standards, and contingency arrangements in the event that non-compliance becomes apparent in the lead up to or during Korban.
      1. Including specific consideration of measures in place during the period of peak demand during Korban, particularly as it relates to slaughter procedures, staff fatigue and crowd control.
      2. Including verification activities to confirm ongoing conformance of infrastructure and processes to ensure control is maintained within abattoirs (particularly where multiple slaughter lines are present).
   4. Specific information or situations that would initiate further action and/or investigation by the exporter. This may include third-party or industry reports of non-compliance with ESCAS standards, such as Australian animals for sale in markets outside of approved supply chains, or other significant incidents, for example high feedlot mortality rates.
   5. Market engagement and training activities delivered by technical experts (employed or contracted by the exporter) to support ongoing ESCAS compliance. This should include details of activities planned and a register of associated dates, locations and outcomes.
   6. Supplementary technology or systems that could be utilised by the exporter to improve control and traceability (e.g., targeted use of individual NLIS tags for sheep supplied to trader pens, CCTV cameras etc).
   7. The process used by the exporter to verify compliance with the plan, and to assess the effectiveness of the plan, for example the type of reports and documentation received, their content and how they are verified for accuracy; and the on-site verification activities to assess the accuracy of the reports and documentation.
      1. Including an independent audit or review (by a person with suitable demonstrated experience) of the processes outlined in the plan prior to Korban.
4. It is a condition of ESCAS approvals that an exporter must notify the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry in writing as soon as possible and not more than five working days after becoming aware of, or receiving information that suggests, non-compliance in their supply chain.

In accordance with sections 6-40 and 6-42 of the Export Control (Animals) Rules 2021, the department may vary or revoke approval of an ESCAS if the department is not satisfied that the livestock will be dealt with in accordance with the approved ESCAS.

The department will consider each notice of intention to export feeder and/or slaughter sheep and goats on a case-by-case basis.

Consignments of breeder livestock will also be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Exporters should be mindful that their Malaysian supply chain partners must conform to Malaysia’s regulations and requirements. In particular, Malaysian abattoirs must be licensed under Malaysian legislation.

Background

Following Korban in 2016 and 2017, reports were received by the department demonstrating poor animal welfare outcomes and/or loss of control and traceability of Australian sheep exported to Malaysia. In response, ALEC advised the department that its members had agreed not to export sheep or goats to Malaysia in the six weeks prior to Korban annually between 2018 to 2023 due to concerns around compliance with ESCAS requirements.

ALEC (and its members) has reaffirmed its agreed position of suspending supply of sheep and goats to Malaysia leading up to the 2024 Korban festival. ALEC has advised its members that from 8 May to 19 June 2024 there should be no exports of sheep and goats to Malaysia.

Patrick Cass
Director
Live Animal Export Branch
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

Michael Riethmuller
Contact Officer
Phone: 02 6271 6455
Email: livestockexp@aff.gov.au