October 6, 2011
Australian beef exports up
Australia's beef exports increased in September, its first on-year rise since March, said Meat and Livestock Australia Ltd. (MLA) on Wednesday (Oct 5).
According to Australia's Department of Agriculture, September exports rose 0.4% on month and jumped 7.9% on year to 81,965 tonnes of boneless beef to bring total exports in the first nine months of 2011 to 693,568 tonnes, up 1.5% compared with the same period a year earlier.
MLA said that the increase in exports in September partly reflected drier weather and increased beef slaughter and production rates in Queensland.
The increase occurred despite tough export conditions since April, due to a high Australian dollar, sluggish global economy and increased competition from US beef in Japan, MLA said.
It said that while the recent drop in the value of the Australian currency will be welcome news for exporters, this is likely to be partly offset by the deterioration in the global economy and resulting impact on demand for beef.
Shipments to South Korea rose 21% to 109,183 tonnes in the first nine months of the year, shipments to Russia surged 63% in the same period to 46,365 tonnes, while exports to the US fell 22% to 122,942 tonnes in the first nine months of this year, according to ADA data.
Shipments to Japan fell 5.6% on year to 248,716 tonnes in the first nine months of 2011, reflecting ongoing tough market conditions, MLA said.