Market Morsel: Better and worse

Market Morsel

Total mutton export volumes from Australia have started 2022 at 11,128 tonnes swt, which is 19% higher than January 2021 but also 19% under the January seasonal trend, according to the five-year average pattern. China, is by far the largest offshore market for Aussie mutton exports and demand has started the year strongly with January volumes coming in at 4,213 tonnes, which represents levels that are 14% higher than last January and 11% above the five-year January average.

The USA has started the 2022 season stronger than in 2021, but after a very robust second half of the season in 2021 volumes are now back under the January five-year average by 43% with 1,187 tonnes swt reported as exported. Along with the softer USA figures, Aussie mutton exports to “all other destinations” (excluding China and the USA) have also come in well under trend with 5,729 tonnes reported exported for January 2022, 27% below the January average for the last five years.