Over-supply plus dockside delays bring temporary goat glut at Charleville

Nervous jitters about the possible impact of coronavirus on international markets saw an influx of producers offloading goats last month, but the abattoir's managing director Campbell McPhee said that had been managed by working extra days and calling a halt to livestock deliveries.

"People got nervous, in the current climate everyone's understandably nervous," he said. "A lot rang wanting the current grid."

The price slid from $9.80/kg to $8/kg over a couple of weeks, Mr McPhee said, and was around $7.70/kg last week.

"We had three to four weeks' supply around us, and there were delays in shipments sold, but that backlog is shifted now," he said.

"North America and the Caribbean have the shutters up at the moment - there have been delays in shipments and unloading vessels.

"They've had to pull workers off the docks and in wholesalers.

"It might be the case for a couple of months, it's hard to read."

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Despite that, Western Meat Exporters, the largest goat processor in Australia, was "fortunate to have good relations in other markets" such as Taiwan, China and Japan, where the production chain was moving.

Wyandra grazier Peter Lucas was one of those caught up in the waiting list, having booked goats in 19 days before he was able to truck them to Charleville last Tuesday for processing on Wednesday.

"We booked them in at $9/kg and we still got paid for that," he said.

"I wasn't concerned about the email that came out much, I thought things might tighten up a bit.

"COVID is certainly affecting a lot but people have still got to eat.

"We're mustering stock and have the usual management program in place - it's down the supply chain that's the concern."

Managing social distancing work practices on the abattoir floor has resulted in increased employment for Charleville locals, according to Mr McPhee.

Because of the new workplace requirements he's had to run five different shifts with split lunches and smoko breaks in separate areas, meaning each needs extra sanitation.

"We didn't want to lose time on the chain so we did it this way," he said. "We had seven extra people last week and four this week - it's a good outcome for the community."

The year hasn't been what Mr McPhee envisaged after rain helped suppliers grow their first body of feed in years.

As well as temporarily being unable to get trucks onto the country to pick up goats, China pulled out of the mutton and lamb market at the start of the year.

"There's good encouragement for the future though," Mr McPhee said. "Some producers are waiting and putting more weight on, and some are finding a market with restockers, which shows longevity."

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