Kangaroo meat: Intriguing reasons why the cost has soared

The cost of kangaroo meat has soared to $37.50 a kilo as the cost of living crisis stretches Aussie budgets – for an intriguing reason. 

In a lengthy thread on Reddit, a meat expert has explained why prices have soared from about $10 a kilo to close to $40 per kilo in some states.

‘Kangaroo shooters rely on access to privately owned farms to cull and harvest kangaroos,’ they explained. 

‘Due to increased rainfall in most of the country over the past year, paddocks have become inaccessible because they are so saturated. 

As the cost of living crisis continues to stretch Aussie budgets, kangaroo meat has now reached a point where it is financially out of reach for many families, in some states rising to nearly $40 a kilo

The Australian meat is high at the moment particularly due to environmental challenges for kangaroo shooters caused by increased rainfall meaning paddocks have become inaccessible

‘This makes it extremely difficult to shoot and retrieve kangaroos without getting bogged.’

Not only is the recent wet weather to blame for higher than average prices of roo meat but the amount of red tape shooters have to go through is making it simply not worth it for many.

All kangaroo shooters must process the meat at ‘chillers’ – of which there are fewer and fewer.

Meanwhile, many chillers have been forced to close down due to the extensive certifications they must obtain. 

That has resulted in those that still exist struggling to turn a profit.

Not only is the recent wet weather to blame for higher than average prices of roo meat but the amount of red tape shooters has to go through is making it simply not worth it for many

The Reddit user also pointed out that kangaroo shooting is an expensive line of work to get into.

‘To be a shooter you need to have a ute capable of carrying and processing carcasses,’ the Redditor explained.

‘This means you need a tray and rack build made of stainless steel with wash-down facilities and all the other bits you’ll need to pass certifications.

‘These can cost upwards of $25k to have built in some areas. Add in the cost of diesel at $2+ per litre on top and you’ve significantly eaten into profit margins.’

Shooters are also facing ammunition shortages as bullet prices have also hiked exponentially.

‘It’s certainly not cheap to shoot. Throw in cost of licensing and the cost of kangaroo tags and it really becomes difficult to financially justify continuing as a kangaroo shooter,’ the Reddit user said.

‘It’s extremely hard and dirty work, finding a property is getting harder and the cost of being a roo harvester is making it borderline impossible to make even minimum wage once hours worked are taken into account.

‘Decreased shooters means decreased meat, this leads to higher prices.’

There is a shortage of kangaroo shooters as well as property’s shooters can hunt at as the cost of being a roo harvester makes it borderline impossible to make even minimum wage once hours worked are taken into account (pictured: Kangaroo harvester)

In October 2022, the RSPCA’s Victorian branch announced it was withdrawing all pet food products containing kangaroo meat from its shelves.

The RSPCA cited ‘concerns about animal welfare implications in the sourcing of these products’.

The charity said the move followed an examination of its ‘sourcing practices, including our retail operations’.

The products removed from the shelves included processed dry food and kangaroo fillets for pets. 

The move followed pressure from native wildlife groups.