China has lifted punishing restrictions on five Australian beef exporters, it has been revealed.
Agriculture Minister Murray Watt said the details are “still emerging” but confirmed on Wednesday the trade tariffs would be removed “with immediate effect” for five cattle producers who were hit with a snap ban four years ago.
“That is fantastic news for Australia’s cattle producers, for the meat processing industry, for the workers in those industries and, of course, for Australian exports,” Senator Watt told ABC.
“What we’ve worked out is that even so far as over the export bans that have been lifted by China, that has worked out to $3 billion in extra exports for Australia.”
China banned beef imports from a total of eight Australian abattoirs amid a diplomatic fallout between 2020 and 2021, that halted an estimated 35 per cent of the country’s beef exports into China.
The Chinese government also imposed a snap ban on Australian lobster, which remains in place.
Trade barriers on other Australian-made products including barley, cotton and wine have progressively lifted since 2022.
More to come.