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Northern Territory investigating potential wild pig trade

ABC Rural
By Matt Brann

Updated 5 March 2014 at 2:28 pm
First posted 5 March 2014 at 1:40 pm

The Northern Territory's Chief Minister has flagged the possibility of the NT starting up a wild pig trade to Vietnam.

A large feral boar shot in the wild in the Northern Territory. (Supplied)

The Northern Territory's Chief Minister has flagged the possibility of the NT starting up a wild pig trade to Vietnam.

On ABC Local Radio this morning, Adam Giles said his trip to Vietnam last week included discussions with a Vietnamese importer who was keen to buy more pigs.

"We have had initial discussions about developing a wild pig trade," he said.

"Now that's a long way off, but it's something we are starting on."

It's understood feral pig numbers in Arnhem Land are exploding and some Traditional Owner groups are keen to turn the pest into a profit.

The Northern Territory has exported pigs before.

In 2002, nearly 700 pigs were exported out of Darwin to the Philippines.

And a meat industry source has told ABC Rural that during the 1990s, the NT exported a lot of feral pig cuts to Europe.

As many as 800 pigs were being sent to Queensland each week for processing and shooters were receiving around $1.60 per kilogram.

Most of the meat was exported to countries like Germany and France for the luxury food market.

Vietnam has turned into an extremely important trading partner for the Northern Territory's agricultural sector.

It has become the Territory's second biggest customer for live cattle and its biggest customer for live buffalo.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2014-03-05/nt-looking-to-export-feral-pigs-to-vietnam/5300372

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