Sheepmeat Council of Australia is urging Federal Trade Minister, Simon Crean, to place Aussie lamb and mutton at the top of the Australian Government’s agenda, following the release in Geneva of a revised negotiating text on agriculture in the World Trade Organisation Doha negotiations.

President Chris Groves said increased access for Aussie lamb and mutton into the restrictive European Union (EU) market was a must for any successful conclusion to the WTO Doha Round trade talks.

"The Australian sheepmeat industry did not gain one kilogram of additional access into the EU from the Uruguay Round of WTO negotiations in 1995 and we’re determined not to let that happen again," Mr Groves said.

"The Australian sheepmeat industry is valued at $3.9 billion, contributing to the livelihoods of over 40,000 Australian farming families and a further 13,000 involved in sheepmeat processing.

"The message is clear to the Minister for Trade and his team of hard working trade negotiators – make Aussie lamb and sheepmeat your number one priority at the current WTO negotiations.

"The EU is one of the word’s largest sheepmeat consumers, but it maintains restrictive quotas on imports and heavily subsidises its sheep producers – severely limiting fair market access for Australian producers.

"To rub salt into the wounds, New Zealand currently has 12 times the market access into the EU of Australian sheepmeat, despite the global exports of both countries being similar."

Australia’s quota access is restricted to 18,786 tonnes (cwe) compared to 227,854 tonnes for New Zealand.

Mr Groves said Australian farmers were considered the most efficient and unsubsidised sheepmeat producers in the world.

"As one of the world’s biggest sheepmeat producers and exporters, Australia is well placed to meet EU demand for high quality lamb and mutton," Mr Groves said.

"Our farmers, processors and exporters have a well deserved reputation for producing and shipping the cleanest and best quality lamb and mutton in the world."

He said the Australian sheepmeat industry would continue to work with the Minister for Trade to achieve an ambitious market access outcome for Australian sheepmeat in the WTO negotiations.