Making waves: should South Africa's livestock exports by sea be allowed to continue?

South Africa’s exports of live animals by ship to the Middle East presents a major new opportunity for the country’s red meat farming industry. But the initiative has generated huge controversy within the industry and from animal welfare experts. Lloyd Phillips looks at both sides of the story.

-  Lloyd Phillips

Since October last year, two shipments totalling approximately 120 000 live sheep have been exported from East London Harbour in the Eastern Cape to the Middle Eastern markets of Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The sheep were purchased by Al Mawashi, a Kuwaitheadquartered halaal meat processing and distribution company, and transported on one of the company’s specialised livestock transport ships.

The sheep were reportedly sourced from both larger- and smaller-scale farmers in the Eastern Cape. Agri Eastern Cape (Agri EC), representing organised agriculture in the province, and its president, Doug Stern, are supporters of these live sheep exports and have given a number of reasons for this.

GLOBAL STANDARDS

They begin by emphasising that some background information is required to properly understand the live animal export business.

According to them, the shipping of live animals has taken place since people first began sailing the oceans, and it is now a worldwide practice fuelled by demand from countries unable to produce sufficient livestock for domestic consumption. There are about 120 dedicated marine livestock carriers globally. They add that South Africa subscribes to the World Organisation for Animal Health’s international standards that govern the health and welfare of livestock transported by ocean-going vessels.