Queensland sets goal to boost goat production
21 December 2021
Key points:
- Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has released its first sheep and goatmeat strategy.
- New strategy seeks to capitalise on expected growth in goat and sheep numbers.
- It sets out a goal to increase goatmeat production from 11 million kilograms to 18.7 million kilograms, within five years.
In a bid to double the value of goatmeat production in Queensland, the State’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries has released a strategy focused on the sector.
The ‘Queensland Sheep and Goat Meat Strategy’ has been developed in close consultation with technical experts and key stakeholders, including AgForce, the Australian Meat Industry Council and the Goat Industry Council of Australia.
The strategy is designed to support growth in Queensland's goat and sheep sectors—placing particular focus on Queensland’s small-scale processors—to create more jobs and economic activity in rural and outback towns like Charleville, Cunnamulla, Goondiwindi, Longreach, Richmond, Roma, St George and Winton.
It also seeks to capitalise on expected growth in goat and sheep numbers resulting from government and private investment in cluster fencing to protect livestock from wild dog predation.
Looking at goats specifically, the strategy sets out a goal to increase goatmeat production from 11 million kilograms to 18.7 million kilograms, within five years.
“As key global exporters of goat meat, Queensland producers have benefited from an almost five-fold market value increase since 2003, with prices recently peaking at more than 900c/kg (dressed carcase weight) in 2020–21,” the strategy states.
In a statement, Queensland Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities, Mark Furner, said rebuilding sheep and goat numbers, improving regional processing capability and supply chain innovation would all add value to our world-class produce.
“We will work with the sheep and goat meat processing sector to reach its potential, from the large export focussed businesses through to smaller family-run processors with a domestic focus,” Mr Furner said.
“Rebuilding sheep and goat numbers, improving regional processing capability and value chain innovation will enhance Queensland’s reputation for world-class, naturally grown, sustainable sheep and goat meat into the future.”
