Live exports

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MLA Market Information produces the Livelink publication each month to present statistical trends on the live export industry.

Highlights from the latest Livelink

Australia’s live cattle trade contracted significantly on last year during March, to 24,214 head, according to official trade statistics released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). The 53% year-on-year decline for the month was primarily due to lower exports to Indonesia, with only very limited import permits available in March.
Other markets to receive Australian cattle during March included the Philippines, at 4,355 head – which were the first cattle shipped there since November last year. Higher volumes were also recorded to China (3,818 head), Mauritius (3,170 head), Malaysia (2,940 head) and Japan (2,434 head).
As a result of the import permit restraint on exports to Indonesia during the March quarter, total Australian live cattle exports for the first three months of 2012 totalled 119,875 head – down 20% on the corresponding period in 2011 and the slowest start to a year since 2006.

Quick facts

Australian live cattle exports totalled 694,429 head in 2011 (down 21% on 2010), valued at A$629.4 million.
Indonesia remained the largest market for Australian cattle in 2011, taking 413,359 head, down 21% on 2010 – valued at A$275.6 million. Indonesia accounted for 60% of total Australian live cattle exports in 2011.
Turkey was the second largest market for Australian cattle in 2011 (down 14% on 2010), taking 56,557 head, valued at A$45 million.
Darwin was the largest live export port in 2011, shipping 270,271 head, valued at A$183.1 million. Fremantle (124,142 head) was the second largest port in 2011, followed by Broome (93,127 head).
Total dairy cattle exports decreased by 11% in 2011, to 73,935 head, valued at A$161.6 million. The largest dairy cattle market for the year was China, taking 53,195 dairy cattle, down 7% on the previous year and valued at A$116.9 million.

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