YORK sheep producer Peter Boyle, who supplies more than 25,000 sheep to the live export trade each year, said he was against any move to shut down the trade for two to three months of the year.
“I’m very much concerned,” Mr Boyle said.
“Shutting down the trade for a couple of months would be like a wedge in the door.
“I’d be against closing down the trade for the northern summer.”
Mr Boyle has been in the industry on and off for the past 52 years and said the live export trade was “absolutely vital” to the WA industry.
He said if there was a temporary ban on the trade, a lot of sheep would be sent to the Eastern States because local processors wouldn’t be able to take the numbers.
Mr Boyle said he supported the changes to industry standards if it meant the industry could continue but he expected costs to rise for exporters and producers.
“Now there is going to be less sheep on the boats,” he said.
“That adds to the cost and affects prices.
“It all costs money and we are the ones that have to pay for it.”
Mr Boyle was at the Muchea Livestock Centre on Tuesday and said it was business as usual for buyers and sellers.