Reduced Australian meat exports in the first half of 2021
Meat
Australia
Published Jul 16, 2021
Tridge summary
Australia’s total red meat exports for the first half of 2021 (Jan–Jun) totalled just over 711,000 tonnes swt, down 18% on the same period in 2020. Export value to May is down to a similar extent. Taking a longer view, however, while the export volume for this period is lower than the five-year average pre-COVID-19 from 2015–19 due to supply constraints, growing global demand for Australian red meat has strengthened export value over this period.
Original content
Export value for the first half of 2021 is higher than the pre-COVID-19 five-year average. Australia’s total beef exports are down 24% for the calendar year-to-June on 2020 levels. However, chilled beef has performed somewhat better than frozen, as consumer demand at retail remains strong due to COVID-19 lockdowns still affecting foodservice in many markets. Grainfed exports have also fared better than grassfed, underpinned by an expanding feedlot sector, falling just 5% overall compared to -31% for grassfed. Australia’s total lamb exports are steady year-to-date and mutton is 10% lower. Similarly, red meat offal exports are down 15% year-on-year. By contrast, goatmeat exports are up 25% year-on-year in 2021 following a two decade low export volume of 6,583 tonnes swt in 2020. Japan One of Australia’s largest and most stable markets, beef exports to Japan have been 19% lower in 2021 so far versus 2020. This is in line with Australia’s supply constraints but also weaker demand, ...
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