Beef Exports Jump in July
AUSTRALIA - Australian beef and veal exports for July jumped by eight per cent year-on-year, as overall export demand continued to slowly improve, highlighted by increased shipments to Korea, Indonesia and Russia.
6 August 2010
2 minute read
Assisted by higher production throughout June and July, exports for the past month totalled 89,623 tonnes swt - the highest monthly total since October 2008 according to figures from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries - DAFF.
Meat and Livestock Australia said that exports to Japan during July fell by two per cent year-on-year, at 32,334 tonnes swt - the highest monthly total since March (39,283 tonnes swt).
Sluggish consumer demand in Japan, along with the high Australian dollar, continues to see beef export returns constrained.
While still at a historically low level, exports to the US for July increased two per cent year-on-year, to 20,699 tonnes swt - seven per cent below the five-year July average. The combination of the high Australian dollar, tight manufacturing beef supplies and strong competition from other markets, including Russia, continues to keep export volumes to the US low, even with the lure of high imported beef prices.
Shipments to Korea during July were again robust, at 11,948 tonnes swt, taking exports so far in 2010 to over 70,000 tonnes swt - 16 per cent above the corresponding period in 2009.
Both Russia and Indonesia registered a jump in Australian shipments during July, at 4,618 tonnes swt and 5,201 tonnes swt, respectively. For Russia, the reduction in imports from South America, most notably Argentina, has helped to fuel demand for Australian beef.
Demand from South East Asia also continued throughout July, with year-on-year increases to the Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore.
For the first seven months of 2010, Australian beef and veal exports totalled 525,719 tonnes swt - four per cent below the corresponding period in 2009.
TheCattleSite News Desk
