April 5, 2012

Australia's March sheep meat exports to South Asia up

Australia's lamb and mutton exports to South Asia rose in March, up 17% and 71% on-year, respectively.

Underpinning the increased lamb (3,785 tonnes) exports was a significant rise in exports to China, while increases across a range of countries helped push mutton shipments higher (Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry).

Lamb exports during January to March increased 24% on the corresponding period last year, to 10,062 tonnes shipping weight (swt). The increase in both March and quarterly exports can be attributed to a rise in shipments to China, which reached 2,406 tonnes swt (47% higher on-year) during March and 6,354 tonnes swt for the first three months of 2012 (39% above the first quarter last year). Most of the improvement in March was attributed to a 12% increase in breast and flap exports (1,829 tonnes swt), with China taking 1,630 tonnes swt of this cut.

Despite ongoing tight supplies of mutton, exports to South Asia increased 71% on-year in March, to 2,302 tonnes swt. The higher volume in March contributed to the 80% rise in exports during the opening quarter, which reached 7,156 tonnes swt.

Exports during March increased across all the major markets, with shipments to Taiwan (668 tonnes swt), Malaysia (555 tonnes swt) and China (520 tonnes swt) increasing 114%, 137% and 115% on-year, respectively. However, exports to Singapore (445 tonnes swt) fell 14% over the same period.