May 18, 2007

New Zealand's beef exports on the rise

Beef and veal exports from New Zealand (NZ) in April soared 10 percent on April 2006, to 38,122 tonnes slaughterweight (swt), according to figures released by the New Zealand Meat Board.

The rise in exports can be largely credited to increased shipments to the US, while demand in other traditional New Zealand beef markets such as Japan and Korea declined.

Beef shipments to the US during April jumped 32 percent on 2006, to 21,023 tonnes swt amid a strengthening NZ dollar. Beef exports to Cananda for the month has dropped by 30 percent, to 2,542 tonnes swt, but expecting recovery in May as NZ exporters are shipping more product into Canada while waiting for higher offers from the US, according to  NZX Agrifax.

Exports to Japan fell by 10 percent to 3,532 tonnes on-year while Korea shipments has cut demand for NZ beef by 9 percent from 2006 to 3,031 tonnes due to increased beef exports from US.