August 31, 2007

Australian July beef output up 3.2 percent on-month
 

Beef production in Australia, a major global exporter, rose 3.2 percent in July to a seasonally-adjusted 177,923 tonnes from 172,359 tonnes in June, but was barely changed on-year, the government's Bureau of Statistics reported Friday (Aug 31).

The total number of cattle slaughtered, excluding calves, in July was 646,500 beasts, up 0.6 percent on-month and up 0.9 percent on-year, it reported.

Australia exports about two-thirds of its beef production, with about 90 percent destined for Japan, the US and South Korea, and with the overall level of exports closely tied to production.

The bureau does not usually comment on the data.

                                      Australian meat production   
                          (seasonally-adjusted  tonnes, carcass weight)

                      July 07             June 07           July 06

Beef              177,923            172,359           177,796

Veal                 2,524                2,337               2,429

Mutton            15,781              16,989             19,989

Lamb              33,550              32,690             34,250

Pig meat         32,319              31,782             32,202

(Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)