Global demand for grainfed beef climbs

Beef 

Last month, Australian beef exports reached a new April record as grainfed exports reached an all-time record. Beef exports overall reached 127,172 tonnes, 21% higher year-on-year (YoY) and the largest April volume on record. North America remained the largest market, with exports to the United States rising 37% YoY to 37,213 tonnes and exports to Canada rising 40% to 3.322 tonnes.  

Grainfed exports rose 27% YoY to 37,037 tonnes – the largest monthly volume figure on record. Grainfed supply has been steadily building over decades, with numbers on feed routinely breaking records and turn-off continuing to rise over time. This has been reflected in export volumes, which have steadily lifted as the sector has grown as a whole.  

At the same time, strong demand from a range of markets has continued to power the sector. In late 2024, China emerged as the largest market for Australian grainfed beef. This continued to hold true in April 2025 with exports rising 62% to 12,151 tonnes. Japan has been a consistently large market over a long period and saw a slight 8% ease in exports to 9,918 tonnes. Exports to South Korea lifted 46% YoY to 6,882 tonnes.  

Lamb and mutton 

Overall, sheepmeat exports eased 3% YoY. This was mostly due to a 5% YoY fall in mutton exports to 17,748 tonnes, while lamb exports fell 1% to 31,143 tonnes.  

Despite the relative consistency in overall export volumes, the final destination of lamb exports changed markedly from last year. Lamb exports to North America were largely unchanged at 7,789 tonnes, while exports to the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) fell by 26% YoY to 6,568 tonnes.  

The decline in lamb volumes to MENA was made up by increased exports to China, where exports rose 8% YoY to 5,677 tonnes, and to markets in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which saw a 16% YoY rise in exports to 2,019 tonnes. 

Goatmeat 

Exports of Australian goatmeat fell 15% YoY in April to 4,027 tonnes. Despite this fall, this volume is still the second-highest April volume total on record, and exports for the year-to-date are still comfortably the highest on record.  

Exports to North America fell 38% YoY to 1,928 tonnes, while exports to South Korea lifted 5% YoY to 804 tonnes. The market for Australian goatmeat in South Korea has grown steadily over the past several years, and exports have consecutively been highest on record every year since 2022. 

Attribute content to: Tim Jackson, MLA Global Supply Analyst