TWO cattle boats are set to leave WA for Indonesia over the next 10 days.
The boats will carry up to 7000 head to Jakarta and will be a welcome sight for cattle producers who are busy with this year's muster.
Uncertainty still remains over what will happen next as there are no scheduled shipping dates to follow.
Elders livestock manager Kelvin Hancey, Broome and Derby, said it was not going to be an easy 12 months in the industry.
He said while the shipment was a positive, there was nothing confirmed in the way of boats in the coming weeks.
"We have got cattle contracted into May and June but we just don't have any specific shipping dates," Mr Hancey said.
"We are still in negotiations but the Indonesian purchasers are being very selective on quality at the moment.
"We have to ensure we are supplying the right cattle and the right type."
Despite the staggered start Mr Hancey said he was confident they would get more permits which would flow on through the season, but recognised most people in the northern parts of WA understood it would be a tough year.
"The situation we are in now is not ideal," he said.
"In previous years buyers would have contracted more cattle than they have now but in fairness to the exporters everything has to be played out on its merits, job by job.
"There are limited people that have the ability to do much forward planning at this stage with the systems we have in place."
On a more positive note Mr Hancey said the season had been kind to producers and the cattle were in extremely good condition.
