March 16, 2012

New Zealand (NZ) beef exports rose 17% on-year to 36,812 tonnes during February, according to the NZ Meat Board.

Highlighting the increase in NZ beef production and slaughter as a result of the expanding presence of the dairy industry was the high proportion of exports of manufacturing beef.

Shipments to the US soared 45% on last year, and 83% on last month, to 18,998 tonnes. The US has consistently held the title as the most important export destination for NZ beef, and this spike firmly reinforced this position, reaching a 52% share of NZ beef exports.

South East Asia, the next largest region, increased 12% on-year, to 3,422 tonnes, while exports to Canada were 28% higher over the same period, at 2,638 tonnes.

Bucking the trend, exports to Korea (2,773 tonnes) and Japan (2,584 tonnes) fell 33% and 20% respectively, on-year. Large beef stocks in Korea and the weak US dollar contributed to these falls.