Australian beef can make up US shortfall, MLA says
Figures for the first month of this year indicate a big increase in the volume of beef exports from Australia, with shipped weights of more than 75,000 tonnes.
Promotions body Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) said this was an increase of almost 50% compared to the same month last year and that this was the second-largest January figure on record, behind only January 2020.
MLA said exports were up in all markets, but that shipments to North America had been particularly strong.
Australian packers and traders shipped more than 20,000 tonnes of beef to the US in January, an increase of over 125% year on year. Exports to Canada had a volume of more than 1,000 tonnes, up by 380%.
“US cattle slaughter for January was down by 7% from 2023, and by 23% from 2022,” MLA commented. “As American slaughter continues to fall it is likely that Australian beef will continue to be exported in large volumes to make up the shortfall.”
