Government announces an end to livestock sea export industry Luke Malpass 11:00, Apr 14 2021
The Government has announced that all livestock exports from New Zealand by sea will be banned by 2023.
Agriculture Minister Damien O’Connor made the announcement in the Beehive in Wellington today. The industry, which has accounted for 0.2 per cent of the New Zealand’s primary sector exports revenue since 2015, will be wound down over the next two years.
“I acknowledge the economic benefit some farmers get from the trade, but I also note that support of it is not universal within the sector,” O’Connor said in a statement accompanying the announcement.
While the Government acknowledges the positive side of the economic ledger, O’Connor said that needing to “stay ahead of the curve in a world where animal welfare is under increasing scrutiny,” was a key consideration in the decision.