The recovery in Australian beef and sheep meat exports in 2023 continued in April, despite a drop in beef exports compared with March.

Beef volumes were 17% higher than April 2022 at 72,604t, lamb increased by 2% to 22,222t, and mutton jumped 48% to 15,772t, according to Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) data released this week.

China has been a particularly strong market for Australia so far in 2023, no doubt assisted by the disruption in Brazilian beef exports to the country.

Exports

In April, Australia exported 16,745t of beef to China, 42% higher than in April 2022.

Japan is their second most important beef market at 15,225t in April, up 10% followed by South Korea on 13,586t, a 27% increase, while sales to the US increased by 26% to 12,547t.

The stand out figure in sheep meat exports was mutton exports to China in April, which almost doubled at 7,493t.