March 17, 2014

Australian beef and veal export values surged 53% on-year to AUD362 million (US$327 million) on the back of the record export volumes during January.

Proportionally, frozen product exceeded chilled, with frozen shipments up 61% over the period, at AUD240 million (US$217 million), while the chilled value was up 39% at AUD122 million (US$110 million).

Values to Japan increased 14% on-year, at AUD76 million (US$69 million), in line with the volume increase during the month, with the chilled value increasing 37% on-year, at AUD45 million (US$41 million), however, the frozen value declined 8% to AUD31 million (US$28 million).

Export values to the US increased 57% on-year, to AUD68 million (US$61 million), with the frozen value jumping 40% to AUD49 million (US$44 million).

Assisted by strengthening US demand for chilled grass-fed beef, the chilled value more than doubled on-year, to AUD19 million (US$17 million).

Similarly, the value of exports to Korea soared 68% on-year during January to AUD59 million (US$53 million), assisted by the chilled value increasing 54% to AUD18 million (US$16 million).

China continued to make its mark as a valuable beef export destination, with the January value increasing 181% from the corresponding month last year, to AUD48 million (US$43 million).

The surge in volumes to Indonesia in recent months assisted values increasing 174% on-year to AUD19 million (US$17 million).

Other notable increases were to the EU at AUD12 million (US$11 million), Hong Kong at AUD4 million (US$3.6 million) and Taiwan at AUD$12 million (US$10.8 million), up 75%, 39% and 38% on-year respectively.

Similarly, values to Canada during January increased 163% to AUD7 million (US$6.3 million), while exports to the Middle East generated AUD19 million (US$17 million), up 11% on-year.