October 6, 2006

Australia's September beef and veal exports up 22 percent on-year

Australian beef and veal exports in September were up 22 percent on-year, at 84,112 tonnes, according to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Figures showed exports up for all major markets.

Beef exports to the US were up 12 percent to 26,171 tonnes swt, as drought conditions across much of Australia

 led to increased cow slaughter and supplies of manufacturing beef.

Exports to Japan was up 22 percent, to 32,483 tonnes while exports to Korea jumped 26 percent to 13,869 tonnes due to the Thanksgiving period in October and the lack of supply from the US.

September's performance puts the results for the first nine months of 2006 on par with figures for the same period last year.

However, overall figures showed exports to the US down 12 percent, to 221,089 tonnes, while exports to Japan were down 4 percent to 292,331 tonnes.

The fall in beef exports to Japan occurred across both categories, with grainfed beef down 3 percent to 139,937 tonnes and grassfed beef down 6 percent, at 152,395 tonnes.

Demand in Japan is expected to pick up the next few months as stocks are run down and the peak period in November/December approaches.

Shipments to South Korea, however, were up 34 percent for the nine months, to 102,118 tonnes.