Australia may lift ban on live cattle export in 2-3 weeks: Govt

Indonesian Agriculture Deputy Minister Bayu Krisnamurti said Indonesia would need to wait at least two to three weeks for Australia to lift a ban on live cattle exports.

"Realistically speaking, it looks like the cattle trade will resume in two to three weeks at the earliest," Bayu said Monday after a meeting with Australian government representatives in Jakarta.

Bayu said the Australian Deputy Secretary for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Phillip Glyde had told him he hoped the trade could be "reopened as soon as possible".

However, Bayu pointed out that before the trade could be resumed, both countries needed to reach a new agreement.

"There must be an agreement on standards for animal welfare. For this, we will be referring to the international standard set by the

UN," Bayu said.

However, Bayu added, each country would maintain its own regulations in handling cattle.

"Australia will use its regulations up to the point where the cattle are put on the ship, and we will use our own regulations as soon as the cattle step off the ship," he said.

The immediate step, Bayu said, was for both sides to propose and provide facilities to reach the set standard.

According to Bayu, the Australian ministry representatives would spend this week meeting with officials involved and also visit slaughterhouses in Indonesia.

The Australian government had suggested it would impose a ban up to six months on live cattle exports to Indonesia after a television documentary revealed cattle being beaten, whipped and maimed prior to slaughter at several Indonesian slaughterhouses.