Live slump

The Detail

Anecdotal reports were filtering through over June of cancelled and delayed live cattle export shipments as fears of Foot and Mouth Disease and Lumpy Skin Disease spread in Indonesia saw feedlots turning back Aussie cattle shipments.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) data for live cattle export flows for June 2022 confirms a 27% drop in total trade volumes with cattle exported easing to 43,474 head for the month.

Normally June would see total cattle export volumes peaking as outlined by the five-year seasonal average trend (dotted line) however the decline in June has volumes nearly at seasonal lows and running 55% under the average trend.

Trade to Indonesia for Australian cattle dropped by 28% over June to register just 25,730 head transported for the month. This represents levels that are 49% under the five-year average for June.

At least there was some improvement in volumes to Vietnam noted in the monthly live cattle export flows. June 2022 saw 7,828 head shipped from Australia to Vietnam, the best monthly volumes seen so far this year and a 71% lift on May’s cattle export figures. Although it should be noted May was a pretty low base line.

Despite the improved demand from Vietnam volumes for June are still running nearly 67% under the five-year average trend for June. High Australian cattle prices and competition from South America continues to hamper the Vietnamese trade.

Flows to China for June of Aussie cattle eased by 38% over the month to see 8,662 head shipped. This represents export levels that are nearly 31% under the five-year average pattern for June.