Australia: Goat production set to smash records again amid price pain

Australia's goatmeat industry is set for another record year of production and exports, but producers are continuing to struggle with pricing they say is simply not viable. New records set in the Australian goatmeat sector in 2023 for both slaughter and production could be smashed this year, based on how high production was during the first quarter. More than 750,000 goats were processed in Australia during the first quarter of 2024, while 11,777 tonnes of goatmeat were produced. According to Meat & Livestock Australia National Livestock Reporting Service, the average over-the-hook price as of June was 163c/kg, along way down from the $9/kg heights seen in 2022. Meat & Livestock Australia market insights analyst Emiliano Diaz said the quarter one figures for production showed it was tracking 45 per cent higher than last year, while data from January to June 2024 showed exports were up 54pc for the same period. "It's a combination of supply and more processing capacity... TFI ...