Good omen
Market Morsel
January 2025 has started with beef exports making a new January record for volumes exported with Aussie beef export flows coming in at 81,049 tonnes swt. This represents a 7% increase on the levels shipped offshore in January 2024 and sits 35% above the five-year average beef export flows usually seen in January.
A summary of the top trade locations, in order of top market share for 2025, is as follows:
USA – American demand for Aussie beef over January was the strongest January result seen since 2015 with 24,685 tonnes shipped during the start of 2025. Compared to last year the current January flows to the USA are nearly 22% firmer and sits 110% above the average flows of Aussie beef sent to the USA during January, based on the last five-years of the trade.
Japan – Beef exports to Japan were under the levels shipped in January 2024, but still came in above the January five-year seasonal average trend. There was 15,806 tonnes shipped during January 2025, a mere 3% softer than January 2024 and 14% better than the five-year January average.
China – There was an improved start for China with January flows noted at 14,908 tonnes, nearly 6% higher than levels set in January last year. Current levels are also above the January average trend, based on the last five-year trade, by 17%.
South Korea – A weaker start was noted for South Korea, when compared to 2024, with January volumes recorded at 10,596 tonnes (9% below January 2024 levels). However, January 2024 was the new January record set for Aussie beef flows to South Korea so a pullback from the record high isn’t too much of a concern just yet. Besides, the current flows still remain 7% ahead of the January average volumes seen over the last five years of the trade.
