August 10, 2007

Australian July beef exports steady

Amid the appreciation of Australian currency against the US dollar, Australian beef exports in July increased by 2 percent to 77,002 tonnes swt (slaughterweight) from the same period a year ago, statistics from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries show.

Increases were noted in shipments to the US, Canada and South-East Asia/China, while exports slowed down in Japan, Korea and EU.

Exports to the US for July increased 8 percent, to 24,416 tonnes, while shipments to Canada jumped 20 percent, to 1,188 tonnes swt. Volumes to South-East Asia during July were also up, as demand for quality beef grows, increasing 66 percent on 2006, to 6,629 tonnes swt.

The high Australian dollar impacted exports to Japan for July, with shipments easing back 1 percent, to 31,429 tonnes swt. Australian beef to South Korea have reportedly fallen below last year's levels, with importers anticipating increased US supplies. South Korean imports decreased by 10 percent on 2006, to 11,265 tonnes swt. Shipments to EU also fell 27 percent, to 504 tonnes swt.

Over the seven months to July, Australian beef shipments have increased 4 percent on last year, to 542,262 tonnes swt - with volumes to most major markets recording an increase compared with 2006.