Why are Australians suddenly paying nearly double for kangaroo meat?
- Replies 10
It's no secret that rising costs for essential items are becoming an increasingly common problem for Australians, not just members of the Seniors Discount Club.
From petrol prices to fruit and veg, and everything in between, it's difficult to find an item that isn't rising in price. Unfortunately, even our beloved national dishes are feeling the pinch.
Recently, a shopper took to Reddit to question why, all of a sudden, kangaroo meat prices have skyrocketed to an outrageous $37.50 per kilo.
The shopper, who went on to post a photo of the roo steak they were referring to, was completely baffled by the significant price increase.
After a flurry of comments on the post, explanations began to emerge as to why prices had risen so much.
As it turns out, there are many factors that are contributing to the rising price of kangaroo meat in Australia.
There have been huge amounts of rain throughout the country in the past year, making some properties too boggy for culling kangaroos.
Farmers also have become increasingly reluctant to let shooters onto their land to cull kangaroos due to soil erosion from the heavy 4x4s driving through.
To make matters worse, there are many logistical complications faced by kangaroo hunters in Australia.
The laws stipulate that they must process the meat and get it to the chiller within a specific timeframe. This often means travelling long distances after nights of shooting and processing, eating away at their time.
To make matters worse, some of these chillers have closed down recently due to the complexities of staying certified and the costs of operation.
This means it takes even more time to get the ‘harvested’ kangaroos to a registered facility, making the job all the more difficult.
Not to mention, kangaroo shooters also must bear the extra responsibility and cost of having a facility equipped with stainless steel trays, racks, washdown areas, and all the other essentials that are required in order to meet certification.
That's not to mention the cost of ammunition, diesel and licencing, which has gone up in recent times due to a shortage in components and sky-high petrol prices.
Little wonder, then, that we are seeing such a notable spike in cost.
Still, some users on Reddit confirmed that kangaroo meat is still relatively inexpensive in select locations. One person wrote that they can still get it for $13/kg in South Australia, suggesting that the price hike may still be a work in progress in other parts of Australia.
That being said, it’s likely that a huge increase in the population of kangaroos is just around the corner. The floods this past year have brought with them plenty of feed, and kangaroos are known as opportunistic breeders.
Kangaroo harvesting rules in Australia already provide flexibility with the balance between culling and conservation.
Speaking of new policies towards the kangaroo meat industry, it was reported that the Victorian Government increased the limits on permitted roo culls.
It was believed that the increase in the cull limit, which has risen by 19%, is to help shooters still in the industry to make more money.
However, the user clarified that there is still a demand for roo meat, even if there are fewer shooters, so the few still active will just have to pick up the slack from those who’ve left.
We hope the situation improves soon!
Members, if you love kangaroo meat and feel like you’d like to support the industry, why not visit your local butcher or, if the prices are still not down yet, your local Woolworths, Coles or IGA?
Do you enjoy consuming kangaroo meat? Better yet, what are some of your favourite kangaroo dishes? Share them with us in the comments below!
From petrol prices to fruit and veg, and everything in between, it's difficult to find an item that isn't rising in price. Unfortunately, even our beloved national dishes are feeling the pinch.
Recently, a shopper took to Reddit to question why, all of a sudden, kangaroo meat prices have skyrocketed to an outrageous $37.50 per kilo.
The shopper, who went on to post a photo of the roo steak they were referring to, was completely baffled by the significant price increase.
After a flurry of comments on the post, explanations began to emerge as to why prices had risen so much.
The $37.50 per kilo price tag for a pack of kangaroo steak has shocked many shoppers. Credit: Reddit.
As it turns out, there are many factors that are contributing to the rising price of kangaroo meat in Australia.
There have been huge amounts of rain throughout the country in the past year, making some properties too boggy for culling kangaroos.
Farmers also have become increasingly reluctant to let shooters onto their land to cull kangaroos due to soil erosion from the heavy 4x4s driving through.
To make matters worse, there are many logistical complications faced by kangaroo hunters in Australia.
The laws stipulate that they must process the meat and get it to the chiller within a specific timeframe. This often means travelling long distances after nights of shooting and processing, eating away at their time.
To make matters worse, some of these chillers have closed down recently due to the complexities of staying certified and the costs of operation.
The kangaroo meat industry is facing a lot of issues, driving the prices of meat up. Credit: Pexels/Ethan Brooke.
This means it takes even more time to get the ‘harvested’ kangaroos to a registered facility, making the job all the more difficult.
Not to mention, kangaroo shooters also must bear the extra responsibility and cost of having a facility equipped with stainless steel trays, racks, washdown areas, and all the other essentials that are required in order to meet certification.
That's not to mention the cost of ammunition, diesel and licencing, which has gone up in recent times due to a shortage in components and sky-high petrol prices.
Little wonder, then, that we are seeing such a notable spike in cost.
Still, some users on Reddit confirmed that kangaroo meat is still relatively inexpensive in select locations. One person wrote that they can still get it for $13/kg in South Australia, suggesting that the price hike may still be a work in progress in other parts of Australia.
That being said, it’s likely that a huge increase in the population of kangaroos is just around the corner. The floods this past year have brought with them plenty of feed, and kangaroos are known as opportunistic breeders.
Kangaroo harvesting rules in Australia already provide flexibility with the balance between culling and conservation.
Speaking of new policies towards the kangaroo meat industry, it was reported that the Victorian Government increased the limits on permitted roo culls.
It was believed that the increase in the cull limit, which has risen by 19%, is to help shooters still in the industry to make more money.
However, the user clarified that there is still a demand for roo meat, even if there are fewer shooters, so the few still active will just have to pick up the slack from those who’ve left.
We hope the situation improves soon!
Members, if you love kangaroo meat and feel like you’d like to support the industry, why not visit your local butcher or, if the prices are still not down yet, your local Woolworths, Coles or IGA?
Do you enjoy consuming kangaroo meat? Better yet, what are some of your favourite kangaroo dishes? Share them with us in the comments below!
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