April 4, 2007

Australia Jan-Mar beef exports jump 10 percent
 

Australian beef exports jumped 10 percent on year to 227,007 bone-free metric tonnes in January-to-March due to a surge in shipments to South Korea, according to official data issued Tuesday (April 3).

In the first quarter, exports to South Korea rose 61 percent to 41,957 tonnes, while shipments to Japan climbed a more modest 1.4 percent to 95,585 tonnes, according to data issued by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. 

Australia is the world's second-biggest beef exporter after Brazil, with the annual value of exports around A$5 billion. Total Australian beef exports in 2006 rose 4.9 percent to 953,932 bone-free tonnes, with a large rise in volumes to South Korea more than offsetting a modest fall to the US.

Australian exports have grown sharply since late 2003, after a case of mad cow disease was discovered in the US which prompted Japan and South Korea to ban US beef and turn to Australia to help fill the supply gap. 

Also in the first quarter, Australian beef exports to the US, the third-biggest export market, fell 1.7 percent to 68,880 tonnes.

On the Asian front, exports to Taiwan were little changed on year at 5,818 tonnes, while exports to Indonesia almost quadrupled to 5,201 tonnes.

In March, Australian beef exports to Japan of 38,836 tonnes were up 16 percent on month but down 10 percent on year, while exports to South Korea of 13,959 tonnes were down 5.4 percent on month but up 40 percent on year.

Shipments to the US of 31,654 tonnes were up 31 percent on month and up 2.4 percent on year.