ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
New markets are opening up for Australian beef products this morning as the Americans begin their hostile tariff war against themselves.
China, both our friend and annoying neighbour, has said production of Mongolian beef and lamb will be increased as Australian beef becomes a vastly more attractive option for the waking panda now the American tariffs have come into effect.
Nearly all Mongolian beef consumed in Australia is cooked and snap frozen in China before being lovingly reawoken from it’s cryogenic slumber in a microwave oven. It’s commonly dumped into a wok once half defrosted and lashed with searing heat until ready.
It’s one of the most popular dishes in both China and Australia. In recent times, the beef used in the traditional meal was sourced wherever. Some parts of the world, the only criteria to end up in a Mongolian beef dish is that it’s mammal flesh.
However, infamously, one local Chinese restaurant that used to source their own yabbies in the dam out near the Windorah Road was caught using bycatch platypus, often cloaking the gamey but delicious flesh in Mongolian beef sauce.
They were fined and shut down following the 2004 investigation.
Nevertheless, local primary producers have told The Advocate that they don’t care who eats it, they just want and need a good price at the saleyards.
“As long as there’s people, there’s tummies,” said one cattle farmer.
“And as long as there’s tummies, there’s farmers. It will be tough for a while but we will find a way.”
More to come.
