WESTERN Australia's biggest sheepmeat co-operative announced producer members would receive $2 million in bonuses, off the back of a stronger than anticipated past six months.
The 2020/21 WA Meat Marketing Co-operative (WAMMCO) financial year pool bonus includes 20 cents a kilogram for qualifying lamb and 10c/kg for qualifying mutton to about 800 members.
That is about the same as last year's bonus.
WAMMCO International chief executive officer Coll MacRury said the result was particularly pleasing given the impact of COVID-19 on shipping and labour.
In saying that Mr MacRury said the overall result depicted a tougher first six months, due to the pandemic "hangover".
He said logistical issues were among the biggest challenges the industry and exporters had, as shipping and exporting product to market on time were affected.
"We had to freeze down a few containers due to chilled lamb not getting to the northern hemisphere markets on time, as shelf life was close to expiring,'' he said.
"It is something all processors, who export chilled lamb and beef, are struggling with.
"Meanwhile, labour has been difficult to find at certain times of the year and certainly more difficult when we need to organise in these COVID-19 times.
"That is mainly due to quarantine requirements and organising people."
Mr MacRury said WAMMCO was proud of its ability to pay annual rebates to qualifying members.
He said a total of $24.6m had been paid to producer members over the past nine years.
The 2020/21 financial year end result won't be finalised until the co-operative's annual general meeting in October.
