Despite an early Easter, March saw a significant rise in red meat exports from Australia, reaching 182,480 tonnes. This marks the largest March for exports since 2015 and the second largest on record.
Beef Exports Surge
Australia exported 106,574 tonnes of beef in March, showing an 8% increase from the previous year. The most notable rise was in exports to the United States, which surged by 58% to 29,346 tonnes. This increase is due to a decline in US domestic beef production, leading to reduced stocks and a higher demand for imports.
Japan followed as the second-largest market, with exports up 3% to 21,007 tonnes.
However, exports to China and South Korea dropped by 17% and 25%, respectively. This was mainly because the previous March was exceptionally high for both countries. Despite this, exports remained above average.
The UK market also showed remarkable growth, with beef exports nearly quadrupling to 506 tonnes, driven by the A-UK Free Trade Agreement.
Lamb Exports Also Strong
Lamb exports from Australia increased by 36% to 30,707 tonnes. The US was the largest market, where exports rose by 50% to 7,336 tonnes. The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region also saw significant growth, with exports up by 47% to 6,143 tonnes. Saudi Arabia and Kuwait doubled their imports from last year.
This strong performance suggests that Australian lamb will continue to capture a larger share of the global market.
Mutton and Goat Meat Trends
Mutton exports decreased by 6% to 20,263 tonnes, with a significant drop in exports to China by 37%. Nonetheless, exports to the MENA region increased by 49%, particularly to Saudi Arabia, which saw a 105% rise, marking the largest single-month export since March 2015.
Goat meat exports rose by 5% to 3,643 tonnes. The US accounted for 57% of these exports, showing a 73% increase. Meanwhile, exports to South Korea grew by 32%, although there was a decline in exports to Taiwan.
Summary of Key Points
– Total red meat exports rose by 9% from last year.
– Beef exports to the US increased significantly by 58%.
– Lamb exports grew overall, especially to the US and MENA region.
March’s data shows a robust demand for Australian red meats in international markets, highlighting a strong position despite global challenges.
