The first batch of live beef cattle China imported from Australia will be on market soon after being processed at a slaughterhouse in southwest China’s Chongqing Municipality.

Though Australian beef products are quite common in Chinese market, it is the first time that China imports live Australian cattle and sells the beef after slaughtering them in China.

“The advantage for importing live Australian cattle is that it only takes four days from slaughtering to selling them on market. This can ensure that the meat products are fresher and better,” said Yang Pengcheng, head of market department of Hondo Agriculture.

The 150 Australian beef cattle, which arrived in Chongqing on Oct. 21, are processed and packaged at a local slaughter house, and the products are to be sold on market later this week.

The first beef of live cattle imported from Australia landed in southwest China’s Chongqing. Photo by Xinhua News Agency.

The cattle, worth $480,000, marked the start of implementation of cattle-export articles included in the free trade agreement between China and Australia.

China and Australia signed the free trade agreement in Canberra in June.