Record lamb exports to China

China’s protein deficit has seen a record amount of Australian lamb exports.

Lamb exports to China last month reached a new record. PICTURE: ZOE PHILLIPS

LAMB exports to China hit a record last month, as the impact of African swine fever drives China’s hunger for protein.

And total beef exports from Australia also surpassed the one million tonne mark for the year to date.

But the challenge moving forward will be how the Australian market will balance short term demand with long term sustainability of red meat exports.

The latest Department of Agriculture red meat export report showed Australia exported 1.09 million tonnes of beef for the year to end of October, a big jump on the 939,367 tonnes exported during the same period last year, while 141,917 tonnes of mutton was exported — up from 136,117 tonnes last year.

The figures also show 233,332 tonnes of lamb as exported year-to-date, up from 220,808 tonnes last year.

Last month beef exports reached 113,719 tonnes, lamb 26,383 tonnes and mutton 20,162 tonnes.

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This compares to the same month last year when 98,888 tonnes of beef was exported, 20,406 tonnes of mutton and 22,972 tonnes of lamb.

Meanwhile, lamb exports to China last month reached a single market record at 7745 tonnes, breaking the previous record set in May this year to China at 7414 tonnes.

Rabobank senior animal proteins analyst Angus Gidley-Baird said the strength of the Chinese market had driven a “massive increase” in demand.

“They’re looking to source protein and they’re sucking up anything they can get their hands on,” Mr Gidley-Baird said.

Meat and Livestock Australia senior analyst Adam Cheetham said the high quantity of exported sheep meat illustrated the robust demand for protein in China, regardless of whether it was lamb or mutton.

Mr Cheetham said the lamb export record to China was a result of demand.

There is a risk Australia could be short of supply, resulting in China looking elsewhere for protein, according to Mr Cheetham, who said Australia could take advantage of its reputation as a premier producer.

“Quality is going to come into it, and that’ll happen when supply contracts. That’ll be driven by when we see rainfall occur,” Mr Cheetham said.

Mr Gidley-Baird said China was continuing to open supply access to South America and European countries, with the biggest beef export growth coming out of Argentina and Brazil.