AUSTRALIA red meat exports hit the highest level on record last financial year at over two million tonnes.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) reported lamb, mutton and goat exports reached a record high volume in 2023-24, while beef exports matched 2019-20 levels.
MLA global supply analyst, Tim Jackson, said sheepmeat exports totalled 587,262 tonnes for the financial year, up 24 per cent of the previous year, to become highest on record.
"Exports lifted across the board, but the biggest increase was clearly seen in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, where exports rose 76 per cent to 125,088 tonnes," he said.
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"Lamb exports rose by 60 per cent, while mutton exports doubled to 54,039 tonnes."
Jackson said lamb exports to the US rose 20 per cent to 80,787 tonnes, while mutton exports to Malaysia rose 14 per cent to 11,516 tonnes.
He added the only major market that did not see substantial increases in export volume was China, where both mutton and lamb exports lifted 6 per cent to 64,373 tonnes and 84,022 tonnes respectively.
Meanwhile, beef exports increased 29 per cent to1.2 million tonnes over the financial year- a similar volume to 2019–20.
"The biggest lift was in exports to North America, where numbers doubled to 343,034 tonnes," Jackson said.
"After a period of rapid destocking in the US cattle herd between 2018 and 2023, US slaughter has begun to decline.
"At the same time, demand has remained robust and the US dollar has strengthened, meaning that demand for Australian beef has lifted substantially."
Jackson reported strong increases to Australia's other major markets as well, with exports to Japan rising 14 per cent to 238,220 tonnes, exports to China up 7 per cent to 197,048 tonnes and exports to South Korea increasing 8 per cent to 191,270 tonnes.
Australian goatmeat exports also hit the highest figure on recording, rise 63 per cent over 2023/24 to 42,383 tonnes.
"Most of the increase in exports went to North America- exports to the USA rose 96 per cent to 22,427 tonnes, and exports to Canada lifted 118 per cent to 2,085 tonnes," Jackson said.
