Kangaroo Meat Export to China May Boost Australia’s Economy

Kangaroo meat was earlier considered as pet food. However, China may consider it as a luxury cuisine and buy it from Australian exporters.

China has got a middle-class generation which is booming pretty fast. The country is expected to raise its appetite for meat about 17 per cent in the coming eight years, according to the World Trade Organisation. Even though exporters are not yet permitted to trade kangaroo meat in the most populous country in the world, Australia has started thinking differently as Australian economy has been experiencing a pretty weak pace in 2013.

Barnaby Joyce, the agricultural minister of Australia, said that exporting kangaroo meat to China might open up tremendous possibilities. He said that he would try to look at 'further discussions' with the authorities in China as he considered China as a prospective market. Wang Jan who is an owner of a Beijing restaurant has expressed his wish to try kangaroo meat, The Western Producer reports. He said he would not mind eating it if it turned out to be delicious.

China has the practice of eating chicken, pork and beef in plenty. On the other hand, there are some who even prefer eating some less popular animals for food such as dogs, rats and cats. They also have a traditional belief that eating exotic animals enrich bodies with strong medicinal effects. Nevertheless, it will take extremely adventurous people to try something like kangaroo meat.

According to university student Liu Xinxin from Beijing, it is not possible to lay chopsticks on such a 'cute' animal like a kangaroo. Xinxin is, however, not the only one who feels the same. Even people in Australia did not allow kangaroo meat industry to be in a state of 'suspended development'. There was a survey by the government in 2008 which revealed that about 20 per cent of Australians would never eat kangaroo meat strictly on ethical grounds.

Kangaroo fillets are sold in Australian supermarkets from around $8.54 each pound.