Category Archives: Halal export accredited

Queensland abattoirs listed – regions

North Queensland

Ayr abattoir (QLD)

Small processor located 90km south of Townsville, currently in operation

Biboohra abattoir (QLD)

Historical abattoir closed in 1927, Also known as Baron works, located near Mareeba.

Owned by MJ Munro, operated as a slaughterhouse in the early days and then a cannery.

Bowen abattoir (QLD)

Located 230km south of Townsville on the QLD coast.Was in operation at 1919, went through fires, labour disputes and temporary closures. Purchased by AMH, the final owners and permanently closed in 1997.

Cairns abattoir (QLD)

Cairns (more commonly known as Queerah meatworks) was located in far north QLD received cattle from mainly north Australia, often by Barge from the NT and Normanton that had travelled from the gulf of Carpentaria in the 1960’s to 1975. Began to export in 1950’s closed in 1989 as part of the AMH rationalisation strategy of its abattoir capacity through the 1980’s.

Camooweal abattoir (QLD)

Located 190km northwest of Mt Isa, small processor currently operating that supplies own butchery for retail.

Canon Vale (QLD)

A small local processor currently in operation, located 70 km south of Bowen between Townsville and Mackay.

Cape River abattoir (QLD)

Located  south west of Townsville. Closed in 1986 due to the AMH  rationalisation strategy of its abattoirs capacity through the 1980’s.

Pentland abattoir (QLD)

Built prior to WWII, At one stage was the 2nd largest meatworks in Queensland. Last owned by AMH consortium, closed in 1989

Ross River abattoir (QLD)

Built in 1882, QLD meat export agency formed supplied contracts for supply of product to England. Plagued by industrial action its whole operating life most notably in 19919 when a violent clash between the unions and police occurred. Been through ownership receiver, beef price crash, strikes, droughts and market changes. Smorgons meat processors, last owner collapses in 1994, facility closed in 1995. Site now developed as a residential site with only the chimney still remaining as a historic site.

Tolga abattoir (QLD)

Small processor currently operating near Cairns

Townsville – Stuart

Owned by JBS. Large beef processor located in far north QLD

Tully abattoir (QLD)

Small processor currently operating between Cairns and Townsville

Weipa abattoir (QLD)

Small local processor

Central Queensland

Charleville abattoir – goat processor (Central QLD)

A goat processing facility that is currently operating located in central QLD. This facility exports all its production. Has had past problems of securing visa workers to ensure ability to process production. Floods have affected operations and government costs while plant has been closed at different periods.

Clermont abattoir (QLD)

Small local processor

Cloncurry #1 abattoir (QLD)

Small local processor currently operating

Cloncurry #2, proposed abattoir (QLD)

Proposal sponsored by DAFF 2012. Consider establishment of an abattoir at Cloncurry to process cattle from north west QLD and NT. Based on processing 100,000 heavy cattle per year, costing $49M to build not including land or government services. Marginal return expected on investment.

El Arish abattoir (QLD)

Located near Innisfail, a small processor that is currently operating.

Giru abattoir (QLD)

Domestic abattoir currently operating south of Townsville

Innisfail abattoir (QLD)

Owned by CMG then Teys, Hit by cyclone Larry in 2006, never to be reopened, equipment scrapped and auctioned off in 2011.

Mt Isa abattoir (QLD)

Built in the war years and closed in 1986

Southern Queensland

Beenleigh abattoir (QLD)

Large facility owned by Teys, currently in operation located south of Brisbane.Recently had a number of wage disputes. Invests heavily in new technology to optimise labour efficencies, currently operating 2 shifts processing 1,300 cattle per day

Caboolture abattoir (QLD)

Located in Queensland, one of only 2 abattoirs in Australia accredited for export of horse meat.

Dinmore abattoir (QLD)

The largest meat processing plant in Australia, currently operating and owned by JBS Australia. Located near Brisbane QLD.

Kilcoy abattoir (QLD)

Located northwest of Brisbane and primarily processes grainfed cattle. 4th largest abattoir in Australia, currently operating.

Oakey abattoir (QLD)

Located near Toowoomba, a large processing facility of mainly grain-fed beef, owned by Nippon. Currently processing up to 1300 animals per day. Has undergone significant upgrades to enable traceability for organic certification and assurances, with current work being carried out on methane gas collection. Problems in the past have been market fluctuations, unions and costs of production

Surat abattoir – Kangaroo processor (QLD)

Games meat abattoir located south of Roma. Processes Kangaroo. Started in mid 1980’s, possibly now closed due to floods, debt and costs of services to operate.

Cressy. #19. Tas.

Cressy abattoir is better known as TQM. Located in Tasmania and processing sheep and lambs for export markets.

Other Names

  • Tasmanian Quality Meats

Current Operation

  • Currently operating at time of writing December 2013.

Location   

  • Cressy is located on the Mainland of Tasmania approximately 50km south of Launceston

Australia. Cressy

CressyHema Maps – Australia Truckies atlas.

Owner

  • Tasmanian Quality Meats (TQM)1
    • Co-Owners – Brian Oliver & John Talbot4
    • Managing director – Brian Oliver1

Operation

  • Processes and send lambs to export3

ABC rural sheep photo_edited-1Source ABC Rural ‘ Stopping Sheep disease..” 16.09.2013

  • Skins salted and sold3

School Salted skins_edited-1Source – Agricultural studies school visit abattoir. – Salted skins being packed.

  • non-meat body parts processed into fertiliser3
  • Employs 70 people3

Other abattoirs in Australia

Go to this link to view Location of Australian Abattoirs

abattoirs_edited-1   

History of Cressy #19.

1997

  • Established business2
    • Plant previously used to process small numbers of wallbies and venison4
  • Cressy processed 100-120 smallstock a day6
    • 12 staff6
    • battled with this processing level for 3 years as stabilised business6
    • Selling into the domestic market

2001

  • Blue Ribbon Smithton abattoir (Tas) – Tasmania’s largest processor went into receivership6
  • Coles asked Cressy to process and distribute beef, sheep and pork to its Tasmanian stores6
  • Cressy leased and operated Smithton site processing 500 units a day and 52 staff.6
    • as production increased so did costs6
  • Cressy developed new beef processing floor, beef chiller and larger smallstock chiller6

2003

  • Built meat processing floor providing a service kill for veal and lamb for butchers and wholesalers throughout Tasmania and mainland Australia

2004

  • Expansion of facilities at Cressy should be finished by April – allow for processor to explore new export market opportunities.1

2010

  • Tasmania  required a small stock export plant
  • Cressy start work on a new state-of-the-art processing floor

2011

  • January. Processing 4,000 units per week6
  • August. Cressy abattoir achieved export certification5
  • September.Processing floor developed in 2010 commissioned – achieving Tier 1 Export registration

2012

  • January. Processing 5,500 units per week6
  • Since export accreditation sent 86,000 lambs to Middle east and killed 75,000 for domestic market.5
    • Once Halal slaughter introduced stopped production of pigs immediately on religious grounds6
  • May. Ceased beef kill operations – only killing 50 head a week and return was unviable6
  • Further expansion of slaughter line occured6
  • October. Cressy announce significant expansion at their meatworks2
    • grant $250,000- Tasmanian Government Innovation and Investment Fund2
      • total cost is $538,000 TQM invest $288,0002
      • One of five companies to receive grant5
    • Convert old beef floor into 500 unit lamb/mutton chiller2
    • Need for greater chiller space due to market availabilty fluctuations of supply5
    • Lift processing to 10,000 lambs a week5
    • Focus is to build export markets for local product2
    • Since establishment has undergone 4 major upgrades2
    • currently employing 17 FTE, 41 casuals.2
    • 12-15 new full time and part time jobs will be created with expansion2
    • allow TQM to ship direct to markets on Australian mainland and key overseas export markets2
      • switch to exports incurred additional costs due to shipping.4
      • Shipping to Melbourne can be as costly as sending produce on from Melbourne to Southeast Asia4
  • Productivity increase – by 25% to 2000 units a day2
    • decreasing fixed costs and improving efficencies2

2013

  • January. Processing 9,000 units per week6
    • processing all of Tasmania’s bobby calf production6
    • 1,000 lambs processed and shipped to Brisbane under Royal Reserve brand6

    ABC rural photo carcases_edited-1Source – ABC Rural ‘Stopping sheep…’ 16.09.2013

  • Tasmania had good competition and processing for beef but large portion of sheep and lamb was being shipped live to Victoria for processing6
  • Tier 1 Export Licenced audited by AQIS6
    • restricted export opportunities to 22 countires6
    • 2nd Tier requires outsourcing to Victorian abattoir to meet freezing, packing and cutting requirements of markets6
      • double handling and extra costs
      • When sent then has Victorian stamp  when its actually Tasmanian product6
      • Plans to build blast freezer  with extra boning  and cutting room renovations to aim for Tier 2 application.6
  • Pre stuns sheep prior to slaughter4
  • Cressy is Halal accredited – Customers Dubai, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait and Vietnam4
    • also sending to Qatar5
  • Currently processing 2,000 animals a day4
  • Local market is shrinking due to undercutting by giant supermarkets4
    • Cressy weren’t competitive, their domestic market small and export opportunities limited4
    • Changed focus direction, invested and innovated around the problems of high Australian dollar – now supplying halal meats in a growing number of international markets.4
    • Cressy is tapping into growing markets and air-freighting product4
    • preferable to exporting of live animals according to owners of abattoir4
      • Lamb killed at TQM Monday can be at Customer Middle East Wednesday.4
      • Tasmania is only state prohibiting use of HGP’s4
  • Employing 80 people4
  • Cressy recently named regional exporter of the year.4
  • September. Have an open door policy to suppliers to observe, learn and improve7
    • Quality assurance manager – Chris Cocker – selected as a finalist for biosecurity Farmer of the year.7
    • Animal health workshops to assist farmers to identify, educate, knowledge and combat diseases.7
    • More than 120 producers have taken opportunity to see their own stock processed7
      • liver fluke, cheesy gland, sheep measles and Ovine Johnes disease7
      • Sarcocysts comes from cats and is a problem due to feral cats7
      • Producers wear cost of disease due to downgrades in carcase7
      • Cressy supply a feedback sheet to producers – giving percentagaes of diseases or what processor has found.7
      • Carcase costs $8-$10 per animal to process if it is condemned to meat meal, producer receives nothing.7
  • November. Tasmania Quality Meats  – Announced as winner of Regional Exporter of the year category at 51st Australian Export Awards.8
    • “The company’s change in direction to becoming a direct exporter is a major milestone, and is to be congratulated” Award Judges.8
    • No direct export sales in 2011 financial year to $12M in export sales 20138
    • Last few years from 20 staff have now employed 75.8
    • Produce certified Hala and HGP free chilled and frozen whole -carcase veal as well as 6-way boxed veal.8
    • Products including frozen veal, mutton, lamb and offal processed in accordance with Halal requirements and sol as Halel in  markets such as Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.8

Logo_edited-1Source:‘National Exporter award to Tasmania Quality Meats’ Beef Central 27.11.2013
Tasmania Quality meats Logo.

2017

  • This year has been very difficult due to10;
    • high stock prices10
    • Shortage of workers10
      • Had gained some workers from other abattoirs that have closed Flinders Is and Longford #195. Tas.10
  • Currently processing 1,700 livestock a day10
    • Using 65-70 workers10.
  • Flinders Island facility moved some of its service kill process to Cressy10
  • Current Manager – Ralph Jak10
  • Cressy is currently operating service kill and own branded products10
    • Diversification allows better adaptability to current market conditions10
      • Trade lamb products10
      • Mutton  in 3 or 6 way cuts to the Middle East10

 

Sources

  1. ‘Cressy abattoir upgrade’ The Examiner 08.03.2004
  2. ‘Further investment in Tasmanian Livestock Industry’ 11.10.2012
  3. Agricultural studies visit Tasmanian Quality Meats
  4. Reuters Market Analyst – Clyde Russell 18.12.2013
  5. ‘Middle east demand spurs Tasmanian lamb abattoir upgrade’ ABC rural. 15.10.2012
  6. ‘What’s in store: Big steps in small stock’ Stock and Land. 22.04.2013
  7. ‘Stopping the spread of sheep diseases a winner’ ABC rural. 16.09.2013
  8. ‘National Exporter award to Tasmania Quality Meats’ Beef Central 27.11.2013
  9. ‘Tas Quality meats back on track after a tough year’ ABC rural. 18/12/2017. Audio
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