October 3, 2007

 

Australian August beef output down 3.9 percent

 

 

Beef production in Australia, the second-biggest global exporter after Brazil, fell 3.9 percent on month in August to a seasonally adjusted 170,991 tonnes and was down 5.6 percent on-year, the government's Bureau of Statistics reported Wednesday (October 3).

 

The total number of cattle slaughtered in August, excluding calves, at 639,200 beasts, was down 1.1 percent on month and down 3.1 percent on year, it reported.

 

The trend estimate, a measure that further smoothes seasonally adjusted data, for beef production decreased for the eighth consecutive month, to 171,214 tonnes - the lowest figure recorded since December 2005, it said.

 

The bureau did not comment further on the data.

 

Australia exports two-thirds of its beef production, with around 90 percent destined for Japan, the U.S. and South Korea.

 

The level of exports is closely tied to production.

 

                    AUSTRALIAN MEAT PRODUCTION

            (seasonally adjusted, tonnes, carcass weight)

                        Aug 07        Jul 07        Aug 06

Beef                170,991     177,923       181,212

Veal                   2,320         2,524          2,414

Mutton              18,873       15,781         22,163

Lamb                40,220       33,550         37,166

Pigmeat            31,930       32,319         31,833

 

(Source: Australian Bureau of Statistics)