WA’s live sheep export industry revived after moratorium as farmers brace for Federal Government phase out

A live sheep export ship will depart WA for the first time in six months this week, providing temporary relief to an industry bracing for the Federal Government’s planned ban on live sheep exports by May 2028. The Al Kuwait, owned by Kuwait Livestock Transport and Trading Co and sailing under the flag of Kuwait, docked at Fremantle Port on November 1 with industry expecting it to depart by the end of the week. The vessel came from the UAE and has capacity for 50,000 head, which farmers told Countryman could be easily be filled as many farmers look to offload sheep ahead of summer when pasture and feed can be hard to come by. It marked the first live sheep export ship to dock in WA since May before the annual Northern Summer Moratorium, which halts shipments from June 1 to September 14 each year. The end of the moratorium typically signals a rush of activity at Fremantle Port, but this year tight supply and high sheep prices left farmers wondering whether there would be any confirmed shipments from WA for the rest of the year. WAFarmers president Steve McGuire was among dozens of farmers who sold sheep for the shipment, netting $150 per head for 380 Merino wether hoggets — which the State’s abattoirs are less interested in when compared to heavy lambs. WAFarmers livestock section president Geoff Pearson said farmers hoped there would be more shipments later this year. “We would normally see a handful of boats before Christmas ... but with sheep prices so high, it is hard for exporters,” he said. “Farmers are happy to have some opportunity to offload some wethers. It is timely for when the season ends and it starts heating up. “We do hope there might be more boats ... there is definitely capacity here, but whether the market allows is a bit unknown.” Emanuel Exports compliance officer and livestock veterinarian Holly Ludeman, whose employer is the consignment exporter, said there was strong demand from international trading partners but high prices made it a challenging trading environment. “There is uncertainty created by existing regulations and the phase-out legislation,” Ms Ludeman said. “The quality of sheep is excellent ... and Emanuel Exports thanks all of the farmers, truck drivers, agents and everyone in between for their ongoing efforts to make this shipment happen.” WA’s live sheep export industry was speculated to have ground to a premature halt in September when it was revealed there was not a single shipment booked for the State for the rest of the year. Comparatively, about 145,000 head of live sheep were exported from WA between September and December last year. WA shadow agriculture minister Lachlan Hunter said while it was good news a ship had docked at Fremantle, infrequent shipments came as “no surprise” ahead of the impending phase out. “Producers, exporters and supply chain workers have been left in limbo for more than a year now — facing uncertainty, collapsing confidence, and declining investment in what has been a proud and world-leading trade for WA,” he said. “With government policy designed to shut the industry down, it’s inevitable that exporters are cautious about committing to long-term contracts, and that farmers are hesitant to breed and feed stock for a trade that’s being deliberately dismantled.” Mr Hunter said while the single shipment was positive, it highlighted how fragile the WA sheep export industry has become. “The live export trade once provided steady, reliable demand, but now shipments are sporadic, driven more by short-term opportunity than long-term confidence,” he said. “As the 2028 deadline looms closer, we can expect these shipments to remain few and far between. “That means less competition in the marketplace and lower farmgate prices for producers.” State Government flock modelling shows WA’s sheep flock has declined from 12.4m in mid-2022 to 8.6m in July 2025.