Kuwait has urged the Albanese government to reconsider its proposed ban on live sheep exports, labelling beliefs the trade could be replaced by chilled or frozen imports as "misleading and unrealistic".
In a letter addressed to Federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt, Kuwait Commerce and Industry Minister Mohammad Otham Al Aiban said the region and Kuwait would source live sheep from other countries, rather than substantially increase chilled and boxed sheepmeat imports from Australia.
The letter, obtained by Farm Weekly, said Al Mawashi was currently exploring alternative live sheep supplies to replace any shortfall in Australia.
However, the emirate wanted to continue the mutually beneficial trade from Australia first and foremost.
"Kuwait is already at capacity with chilled sheepmeat supplies from Australia and other origins," Mr Al Aiban said in the letter.
"To suggest we need to import more chilled meat from Australia would not help achieve food security in Kuwait."
Mr Al Aiban stressed the critical role live animal imports to the Middle East played in food security, religious cultural and social stability.
He said availability of such livestock would always be a constant concern for the Kuwaiti government, adding that its combined stance with Al Mawashi, about the importance of live animal imports, would not lessen.
"Minister, I call upon you to consider the gravity of this decision-making by your government and put into perspective what this means for bilateral relations, trade and the social and economic wellbeing of all countries impacted including your own," the letter said.
Mr Al Aiban's letter to Mr Watt followed a virtual meeting, which was also attended by Al Mawashi chief executive officer Osama Khaled Boodai.
It outlined Kuwait's disappointment surrounding the Federal government's stated position on phasing out live sheep exports by sea, which was "being carried to appease domestic interests".
"For us here in Kuwait and those other countries importing Australia's live sheep and sheepmeat it is, unfortunately, being seen as a policy that will likely have international trade implications and in the future for Australia and the region," he said in the letter.
"Myself and Mr Boodai, reaffirmed to you that as your country's largest importer of live sheep, Al Mawashi has been a reliable and consistent partner to Australia's farmers for six decades.
"We are aware of how 'political' the live sheep trade has become in Australia, and that you have been charged with delivering on a poorly informed election promise that ignores the very credible changes and improvements in performance and animal welfare across the trade.
"Al Mawashi has been at the forefront of delivering these outcomes."
The letter comes as the northern hemisphere moratorium ended last Friday and trade resumed, with the first shipment of the season departing Fremantle Port.
Australian Livestock Exporters' Council chief executive officer Mark Harvey-Sutton said the industry knew Kuwait sought livestock like many other markets in the Middle East.
Mr Harvey-Sutton believed the emirate had been put out by the fact Federal government was trying to dictate what products they should buy and what their consumer preferences should be.
He said Kuwait had made it clear they were already large purchasers of Australian chilled and frozen sheepmeat and that they also had a consumer preference for livestock.
"That's what we seek to supply them and that's what they are seeking to receive from us, after 60 years of a longstanding trading relationship," Mr Harvey-Sutton said.
"To be frank, I think it demonstrates a certain arrogance that Australia is displaying here, which I think is disappointing.
"I can understand why markets such as Kuwait in this instance are very disappointed with that position.
"Basically, the message Australia is signaling is, our domestic political issues are more important than longstanding and firm trading relationships with these countries are."
Mr Harvey-Sutton said as a net exporter of agricultural produce, Australia should supply customers with the products they ask for, instead of telling them what they should purchase.
He said by doing so those countries would source livestock from other markets and Australian farmers would ultimately lose out.
"We obviously put a lot of work in partnership with some of these markets into having strong animal welfare standards," Mr Harvey-Sutton said.
"These countries that will supply the livestock may not have that."
Mr Harvey-Sutton said the phase-out tarnished Australia's broader reputation as a reliable provider of food, fibre and food security to overseas markets.
He said this would have broader ramifications than just livestock.
"I think it would be unrealistic to not expect this to be an ongoing issue until such time that the government reverses this policy," Mr Harvey-Sutton said.
The Livestock Collective director and Corrigin stud Poll Merino breeder Steven Bolt said Mr Al Aiban's letter demonstrated the importance of the trade for food security.
He said producers in WA absolutely valued Middle Eastern customers and wanted to continue with the trade, which would continue the delivery of high quality protein.
"(The proposed ban on live sheep exports) shows a clear lack of understanding by government of the value of this partnership," Mr Bolt said.
"The demand for live sheep into the Middle East has remained stable over recent years, and there will always continue to be a market for live sheep into this region."
