Korean farmers block Australian cattle imports

By CNN's Grant Holloway

SYDNEY, Australia (CNN) -- Protesting South Korean farmers have halted shipments of live cattle from Australia, despite World Trade Organization efforts to open up the market.

Two shiploads of Australian cattle, about 1300 in total, destined for feedlots have been effectively halted at the Incheon, South Korea, docks by violent demonstrations.

A further four shiploads of cattle have now been cancelled with Korean importer, Gimhae-based Nongwon, unprepared to continue the battle to unload the animals.

The protesters, representing the interests of the Korean Hannwoo Breeders Association, believe the Australian cattle will undermine the already declining domestic Korean beef market.

It has been 18 years since the last shipment of live cattle to South Korea from Australia, a nation which already supplies a sizeable proportion of Korea's non-live beef imports.

Australia is the largest exporter of live cattle in the world, suppling nearly 1 million head of cattle a year to markets in Southeast Asia, North Asia, Mexico and the Middle East.

In demonstrations Thursday, truck drivers unloading the Australian cattle at Incheon were beaten and cattle injured.

The executive director of the Cattle Council of Australia, Justin Toohey, said the first load of cattle has been unable to leave quarantine and the second load remains on a ship in the harbor.

He said despite the latest setback, the Australian cattle industry would continue to try and sell live cattle in Korea and that the farmers protests about the impact of the imports was unfounded.