August 5, 2005

Australia selling more grain-fed beef to Japan
 

Australia has exported a record 113,561 tonnes of grain-fed beef to Japan in the first seven months of 2005, a 22 percent rise from the same period last year. This increase is attributed to increased demand for grain-fed beef from Japan.

Last month, Australia exported 17,895 tonnes of grain-fed beef and 17,551 tonnes of grass-fed beef to Japan.

July's total beef exports at 35,446 tonnes were 4 percent lower than June's volume, and 10 percent lower from July's beef exports last year. This was due to Japanese importers clearing stocks held in stock at the start of the month. Japanese demand was also slow due to record-high cattle prices.

However, Australian beef exports to Japan totalled 248,091 tonnes in the first seven months this year, an increase of 9 percent from the same period last year.