Cattle farmers urged to tap foreign market

STRENGTHENING relationships with Asian countries will create export opportunities for Australian cattle farmers, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce says.

WITH Australia close to announcing a live cattle export deal with China, Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce says it's crucial that farmers are able to tap into a premium overseas market.

MR Joyce did not want to pre-empt confirmation of the Beijing deal, but said strengthening relationships with China and Vietnam, and an improving relationship with Indonesia, was creating enormous potential for northern Australia to tap into food demand in Asia.