PORT’S BULLISH EXPORT MARKET

TOWNSVILLE’S thriving live cattle export numbers are projected to continue to rise with the Port of Townsville’s imminent expansion.

Port of Townsville’s acting general manager business development Maria James said the Managing Risk: Securing the Future – Live Export Forum, to be held tomorrow, would highlight Townsville’s potential growth in live exports, ensuring sustainability and making the most of development opportunities.

“We can facilitate live exports and we’re on the cusp of expansion,” she said.

The port is planning a $ 1.64 billion expansion which would include widening and deepening of shipping channels and the creation of six new berths. The expansion would increase the port’s capacity and make it accessible to larger ships.

The port has already exported more than 189,000 head of cattle in the 2016- 17 financial year, well on track to overtake the previous three financial years’ export totals of 200,000 to 300,000 head.

With seven keynote speakers and interactive sessions, the forum hosted by AgForce Queensland will bring a variety of stakeholders in the live export business together to discuss the rise of the industry.

AgForce North’s regional manager Russell Lethbridge said Townsville was the top live export port for Queensland, working with about 99 per cent of the state’s live exports.

“The people that we’ve gathered to speak have so much relevance, it’s imperative that anyone involved with the live export industry should attend the forum,” he said.

Mr Lethbridge said the forum would focus on future opportunities in North Queensland and moving forward with live export developments.

“I would encourage everybody to take the time, we’re bringing people together who are all relevant in their respective areas to provide trade.”

“We just can’t emphasise enough how important the industry of live trade is to the viability of the beef industry.”

Ms James said the port’s live exports were extremely efficient and humane.

“We’re here to support producers and this is one avenue of a suite of potential exports and livelihoods,” she said.

“In the long term it has to be done properly because it has to be sustainable. Everyone across the industry strives to do that.”

The free forum at Rydges Hotel runs from 9am to 4pm, registrations are essential for catering purposes with a networking function at the end of the forum.

To register for tomorrow’s Townsville forum and for further information, visit the AgForce website’s “events” page.