September 14, 2006

New Zealand beef exports down in August

New Zealand's beef exports, at 18,837 tonnes for August, were 5 percent lower than the same month last year.

This is the second month that New Zealand has reported poorer sales on-year. Beef exports during July fell 10 percent from the same period last year, to 31,037 tonnes

According to Agri-fax, beef production is seasonally low during this time of the year, which restricts beef supplies. However, beef exports for the first eight months of 2006 were also down on year ago levels, falling 9 percent, to 276,260 tonnes sw.

New Zealand saw improved exports to the US market, up 10 percent on-year to 8,895 tonnes. Still, despite the recent increase, exports to the US for the first eight months of the year were down 5 percent, to 140,116 tonnes.

Shipments to South Korea, the second largest destination for New Zealand beef, suffered a steep 20 percent drop on-year for August, to reach 2,563 tonnes while numbers for the first eight months of the year slipped 9 percent, to 31,441 tonnes.

As New Zealand's fortunes in South Korea went down, Australia's went up. Australia expanded their share of the South Korean beef market as exports climbed 36 percent higher for the eight months, to 88,249 tonnes.

New Zealand's beef exports to Japan in August were 2 percent lower than year ago levels, at 1,835 tonnes, while exports for the year-to-date were 5 percent lower, at 28,627 tonnes.

Australia fared no better in the Japanese market, as beef exports over this period fell 7 percent to 259,848 tonnes.