URUGUAY
SHEEP EXPORT BONANZA
The live sheep trade received a boost in Uruguay recently with the awarding of a contract for male lambs, to be exported to the Middle East, for the holy festival of the HAJJ, in December last year.
Australia who normally get the contracts, were uncompetitive because of the high Australian dollar, coupled with the large numbers of cheap sheep from Sudan and Somalia.
Uruguay was only in a position to fill a small portion of the contract, which is normally for several million sheep each year It is normal in Moslem countries, for the well to do people, to give a full sheep to the poor people, to celebrate the end of the fasting feast of Ramadam.
Uruguay enjoys a good lamb and mutton industry and live shipping has only been operating since 2004.The sheep carrying vessels can only carry 40,000 head of sheep from the port of Montevideo.
This as opposed to the vessels in Australia that can carry up to 120,000 sheep or 22,000 head of cattle.
Wellard Rural Exports, from Perth Australia, now operate in Brazil and Uruguay.
