Stock agents have given a mixed reaction to the decision by Regional Livestock Exchanges (RLX) to take up a long-term lease of the Camperdown saleyards.
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Camperdown Stock Agents Association president Tim Healey said the move would be positive for the local district.
“We have a large dairy cow component to our sales and our local dairyfarmers should be delighted as the alternative wasn’t looking great,” Mr Healey said.
But Elders southern region livestock manager Peter Homann said the decision to extend the life of the Camperdown saleyards did not make sense.
“The new Mortlake yards are now operational but none of the region’s existing yards have expressed any interest in ceasing activities,” Mr Homann said.
“The idea of Mortlake was to concentrate saleyard operations and enhance buyer participation at markets rather than divide it. It essentially adds more markets and divides the supply of saleable cattle,” Mr Homann said.
Offering less the 25,000 head of cattle this financial year, the Camperdown throughput ranks poorly against the six other saleyards managed by RLX that boast an average cattle throughput of 136,600 head annually.
The 15-year lease, with options to extend, was announced last week following a public expression of interest process by the Corangamite Shire Council.
To be renamed the Corangamite Regional Livestock Exchange (CRLX), the first sale under RLX’s management will be held on Tuesday, May 29.
The lease of the saleyards is part of RLX’s expansion into southern and western Victoria. RLX is managed by AAM Investment Group whose subsidiary, Regional Infrastructure Pty Ltd (RIPL) previously bid to operate private regional saleyards in the south-west.
AAM Investment Group managing director Garry Edwards said the decision to lease Camperdown was to deliver economies of scale from its main south-west operation at its new Central Victoria Livestock Exchange (CVLX) on Ballarat’s outskirts.
The CVLX is due to open mid year, replacing nearby saleyards in Delacombe.
The lease of the saleyards is part of RLX’s expansion into southern and western Victoria. RLX is in the same AAM Investment group as Regional Infrastructure Pty Ltd (RIPL) that previously bid to operate private regional saleyards in the south-west.
AAM Investment managing director Garry Edwards said the decision to lease Camperdown was to deliver economies of scale from its main south-west operation at its new Central Victoria Livestock Exchange (CVLX) on Ballarat’s outskirts.
The CVLX is due to open in June, replacing nearby saleyards in Delacombe.
“We have identified there is a niche in the supply chain in the extensive dairy herd located south of the Princes Highway that is unlikely to make its way to Ballarat,” Mr Edwards said.
“We’re not expecting Camperdown will turn into a CVLX or even a Mortlake, but we do believe it will service a niche within the dairy industry,” he said.
Mr Edwards said RLX would begin changes to make Camperdown a soft floor facility.