Red meat exports: What industry experts are forecasting for 2021
The presence of Australian beef in international supermarkets could fade in coming months, as local producers continue to rebuild depleted herd and flock numbers.
THE ever-tightening domestic supply of both cattle and sheep is beginning to have an impact on Australian exports.
One industry expert has forecast the presence of Australian beef on international supermarkets could fade in coming months, as local producers continue to rebuild depleted herd and flock numbers.
The latest red meat export figures for February 2021, published by the Department of Agriculture, put total Australian red meat exports at 118,042 tonnes for the month of February.
That’s compared to the 151,781 tonnes exported in February 2020, marking a decline of more than 22 per cent.
Total beef exports last month reached 66,818 tonnes, a decline on the 92,968 tonnes in February 2020.
Total lamb exports for February 2021 was 21,607 tonnes, compared to the 23,811 tonnes exported in February 2020.
Meat and Livestock Australia manager market information Steve Bignell said the latest red meat export figures showed the impact of the tightening domestic herd and flock.
“That’s across both lamb and cattle,” Mr Bignell said.
“What we’re seeing is in January and February exports were down 28 per cent on February 2020 exports, but slaughter was down about 28 per cent in January. The supply of cattle is down, and it’s flowing through to exports, it’s not a reduction in demand.”
A recent IBISWorld industry report pinned the enduring severity of the recent drought across vast swathes of the country as a key factor putting pressure on the number of cattle available.
The national herd fell to 23.4 million in 2019-20, according to the report; the lowest levels recorded since 1999.
IBISWorld senior industry analyst Liam Harrison said global demand for meat products were “expected to surge amid a rebound from COVID-19”, potentially threatening Australia’s position as a key exporter of red meat in 2021.
“ … there is a real chance that Australia may fall to third or fourth place in the global beef export market,” Mr Harrison said.
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