July 4, 2011

 

Australian June beef exports increase 1.6%

 

 

More shipments to the top markets of Japan and the US caused Australian June beef exports to increase by 1.6% from May to 86,014 boneless tonnes, according to official figures issued on Friday (Jul 1) by the Department of Agriculture.

 

However, they were down 1.4% from a year ago.

 

Exports in the first half were up 3.3% from a year ago at 450,563 tonnes, with rising shipments to South Korea and Russia offsetting a decline in sales to the US and Japan, the figures showed.

 

Australia is the second-largest global exporter of beef after Brazil and the value of the trade is around AUD4.5 billion (US$4.8 billion) a year. About two-thirds of its output is exported.

 

June exports to Japan were 31,609 tonnes, up 3.3% from a month ago and up 14% from a year ago. However, first-half shipments fell 2.8% to 167,208 tonnes.

 

June exports to the US rose 14% from May to 17,200 tonnes but fell 30% from a year ago. First-half shipments fell 24% to 80,731 tonnes.

 

The department did not comment on the figures.

 

Separately, marketing concern Meat & Livestock Australia Ltd said a strong Australian dollar continued to squeeze returns from the US market.

 

Beef shipments to South Korea in June were flat at 11,402 tonnes from May but down 5.8% from a year ago, while first-half exports soared 26% to 73,323 tonnes.

 

Shipments to Russia nearly doubled in the first half to 29,867 tonnes.

 

Exports to Indonesia in the same period fell 18% to 15,598 tonnes but total shipments to Asia rose 4.7% to 301,849 tonnes.