Cyclone Alfred's Aftermath Leaves NSW Ports and Meatworks Impacted, Operations Delayed

The effects of Cyclone Alfred, which crossed the southern Queensland coast over the first week of march, are still being felt into the second week, causing significant disruptions in NSW and Queensland. Ports, major transport routes, and beef processing plants remain closed as of this morning.

While the cyclone has passed, parts of southern Queensland and northern New South Wales, including Brisbane, have received up to half a metre (20 inches) of rain since Thursday. This heavy rainfall continues to cause flooding, particularly affecting key roads used for cattle transport.

Key Transport Routes Affected
Critical highways, such as the Warrego Highway and Cunningham Highway, were closed over the weekend due to flooding, with some remaining closed today. Local authorities have been working around the clock to assess the situation, and up-to-date road status reports are available.

NSW Ports Struggling
The Port of Newcastle, a significant hub for Australian beef exports, has also been impacted, with operations still halted as of today. While shipping channels have begun to see limited movement, many vessels are still waiting offshore. The Port Authority has moved to a ‘Yellow’ status, allowing some vessel movements to occur under strict safety protocols. Full operations are expected to resume in the coming days as weather conditions improve.

Beef Processing Plants Affected
Beef processing plants in both Queensland and New South Wales are slowly returning to work after Cyclone Alfred’s disruptions. Many plants were forced to close last week due to flooded access roads and staff shortages caused by the cyclone.

The storm has caused the temporary hold-up of approximately 15,000 cattle in southern Queensland. These animals, which were scheduled for processing, are now waiting for slaughter slots as processors slowly return to full capacity. Some cattle are being held in feedlots, with delayed intakes of replacement cattle causing a ripple effect in slaughter schedules.

Major export processors are gradually getting back to work:

• Teys Australia plans to resume operations at their Beenleigh plant as soon as possible, after missing kills on Thursday (06/03) and Friday (07/03).
• JBS Australia aims to restart production at their Dinmore plant Tuesday (11/03) morning.
• Kilcoy Global Foods, a grainfed beef processor, resumed operations Monday (10/03) after missing two days last week.
• Australian Country Choice at Cannon Hill plans to return to full capacity Monday (10/03) afternoon after missing Friday’s processing.

In New South Wales, the Northern Cooperative Meat Co. near Casino was also impacted, remaining closed on Friday and again on Monday (10/03), hoping to resume operations on Tuesday (11/03).

Event Cancellations Due to Cyclone
Several significant events in the meat and food industry were either cancelled or postponed because of the cyclone's impacts:

• The MeatStock BBQ event in Toowoomba, scheduled for the weekend, was cancelled and will be rescheduled for next year. The next MeatStock event is scheduled for Sydney on 8-11 May.
• The Australian Meat Industry Council’s Red Meat Processing & Export Conference originally set for 12-13 March on the Gold Coast has been postponed to 7-8 April.
• The Meat Business Women (MBW) conference in Brisbane last week was also cancelled due to weather conditions and disruptions in flight schedules.

Looking Ahead
While the cyclone’s rain and flooding have primarily affected areas close to the coast, some of the system’s moisture is expected to move further west, bringing much-needed rain to parts of New South Wales and Queensland. Areas like Wagga are already reporting fewer cattle being sold due to dry conditions, with local producers hoping for better market conditions as the weather improves.

As the system shifts westward, it’s expected to bring further rain to areas like Moree, though it’s likely to dissipate quickly, with dry conditions returning by the end of the week.

source: Beefcentral.com