ARTICLE FOR WORLD OF ALPACAS...NEW FRONTIERS

NEW FRONTIERS
b y R A E L E N E S T R O N G - M A R I A H H I L L A L P A C A S
46 World of Alpacas
2010 was an exciting year for Australian alpacas, opening up new
overseas marketplaces, and 2011 looks even brighter. Europe and the
UK have always seen Australian alpacas as the best in the world.

UK QUARANTINE OFFICIALS INSPECT THE ALPACAS ON ARRIVAL.

BECAUSE OF GOVERNMENT
policies of the two governments,
Australia and the EU, alpacas or
any other livestock, cannot be
exported direct to Europe.
We have to export through a third country,
there is only three countries that are
reconised by the EU as a third country.
These are New Zealand, Canada, and Chile.
To date most alpacas have travelled
through New Zealand where they have to
stay a minimum of six months, and then on to
Europe.
With air services being cancelled for the
New Zealand/Europe route, there is a risk of
European destined alpacas being stuck in
New Zealand. Quarantine facilities have been
established now in Canada to be used for
alpacas requiring the third country status, for
exclusive use of Mariah Hill.

Recognition from the Canadian Quarantine
Service of Mariah Hill’s expertise of exporting
gave them the Canadian Exporter status, and
the first alpaca shipment using the alternative
route to the UK from Canada was completed.
A first from Australia.
A new chapter and a better service now is
available for the Europeans to make use of.
Compared to only one European destination
airport from New Zealand, and minimum air
service, Canada offers services to five
European destinations, minimum land
transport, and in most cases daily services to
all destinations.

With the ever changing disease status of
European countries, meaning movement of
any animals through countries, cannot be
depended on, which for an importer who has
invested a lot of monies in their alpaca and
the quarantine/flight expenses, they need to
reduce any risk of an alpaca being stranded in
a country they cannot get the alpaca out of
due to a changing disease status of countries
the alpaca has to travel through to get to its
final destination.

Mariah Hill had been researching
alternatives to this situation for the past four
years, as air services were being reduced, and
started to plan this alternative route.
The importer who has used both routes
now, were very impressed with the Canadian
Quarantine, not only did the alpacas arrive to
the destination port in fabulous condition,
only travelling eight hours by air compared to
20 odd hours from New Zealand but he
commented “The animals that come through
most relaxed were the Canadians; they’d
obviously been handled a lot and were not
spooked easily.

This same importer with a previous New
Zealand shipment saw his animals stranded in
Europe, with a total of five days travelling from
New Zealand to his farm. On the Canadian
route the alpacas were at his farm in less than
24 hours since departure, and all were ecstatic
with the alpacas bright and still fresh.
This opens up more European countries
now with a secure flight schedule and many
flights to choose from with lots of
connections.
The Canadian marketplace has also seen a
big interest in the improved fleeces of the
Australian alpaca.
GIFT technology was introduced to the
Canadians in 2009, and many Canadians are
now seeing the advantage of using this
advanced technology in their breeding
program.

GIFT technologies were also introduced to
many Europeans in 2010 at the Alpaca
Conference in Spain, with fleece samples now
arriving from Europe for the GIFT report, and
has also being used to create sales of
Australian alpacas.
After a couple of years of negotiations, the
first alpacas were exported to Thailand. A small
group of alpacas arrived in Bangkok airport to a
mirrage of reporters and television cameras. I
am told this group was going to the Royal
Family, and where they will be residing is in the
Highlands, average temperature mid to high
20’s, and is a resort style property with the best
facilities imaginable.

A week of festivals to celebrate the arrival
of the alpacas saw high exposure of the
alpacas through media with a huge interest
for more, with orders for more within two
weeks of their arrival. The second shipment
will be delivered early 2011, and more to
follow. The interest is for pets, breeding and
tourism, where the alpacas’ charm can be
appreciated.

2011 sees another new marketplace
opening up ... Malaysia, where alpacas will be
enjoyed by the rich for pets. These market
places are only small, but new frontiers.
Mariah Hill is currently also working on
another new country that has displayed a lot
of interest in breeding alpacas and working on
protocols and anticipate the first shipment
will be organised mid 2011.

Any enquiry you get from any country may
be possible so just do not think it is too hard,
give us a call and Mariah Hill will explore all
possibilities to meet your enquiries.
The world is a big place and Australia is in a
perfect place to explore and open up new
marketplaces.
Summer at Willow LakeKindle Wireless Reading Device, Wi-Fi, Graphite, 6" Display with New E Ink Pearl TechnologySecretariatThe Hangman's Daughter