Australia defends its kangaroo meat - Brief Article

Eurofood, April 26, 2001

Australian minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Warren Truss has defended kangaroo meat against growing animal rights campaigns in Europe. Consumption of alternative meats such as kangaroo, ostrich and emu have been steadily increasing since the BSE scare throughout Europe.

Truss said, "Claims by animal welfare protestors in the UK that kangaroos are harvested inhumanely and that their meat is unhygienic and unhealthy are completely unjustified and misinformed." Kangaroo meat exporters have reported shipments up by 20% over the first quarter of the year. Sales of crocodile meat are also booming, as European consumers increasingly look for other kinds of meat.

Australian newspapers have reported that animal welfare groups have launched massive advertising campaigns in the UK and elsewhere in Europe, describing that kangaroos are killed in massive free-for-all culls, and that the meat is unsafe. In fact, kangaroo meat is very healthy, only 2% fat and has very high levels of protein, iron and zinc.

Truss said that the two million or so kangaroos killed each year in Australia are done so under very strict quota system, with licensed hunters. A kangaroo population left uncontrolled could become a pest to farmers.

Australia sells around 5 million kg of kangaroo meat abroad a year and has been exporting kangaroo meat for the past 35 years, mainly to Germany, France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Other growing markets for kangaroo meat are Russia, China, South Africa and the Balkan States.