Meeting with Mongolian delegation about economic and trade issues

14/10/97

Primary Industry Minister Monty House has met with a senior delegation from Inner Mongolia visiting Western Australia to look at the State's advanced agricultural sector and future trade opportunities.

The delegation, hosted by Agriculture Western Australia, has been keen to discuss economic and trade issues during their visit as well as strengthen cultural ties between the two regions.

The delegation included six senior representatives from Inner Mongolia and was led by His Excellency Mr LIU Mingzu, President of Inner Mongolia's People's Congress and President of Inner Mongolia's Social and Economic Development Committee.

"The delegation has taken the opportunity to observe Western Australian agricultural practices and developments concerned in particular with animal husbandry," Mr House said.

"The delegation has also met with senior officers from Agriculture Western Australia's wool and meat programs as well as the Animal Health Laboratories."

Mr House said Inner Mongolia was a large pastoral province in China which produced more wool, cashmere and camel hair than any other province. The region had also become an important base for animal husbandry in China.

Inner Mongolia consists of 1.2 million square kilometres of land with 4.8 million hectares of cropping land and about 68 million hectares of productive rangeland.

Visits to a limousin cattle stud, merino sheep stud, the Meat Marketing Corporation's lamb packing plant in Spearwood and the Metro Meat's abattoir in Wooroloo are also on the delegation's agenda.

Media contact: Nicole Trigwell (08) 9481 2044