Market Morsel: Mutton lah
Market Morsel
It has been a strong 2022 for Australian mutton exports to Malaysia. The market share of mutton exports has lifted from 12.0% of total mutton flows in 2021 to 16.6% this year, so far. This places Malaysia in second place for top mutton export destinations, behind China on 34.8% and ahead of the USA on 8.0%. The USA have seen their share of the Australian mutton trade decline from 16.2% of total mutton exports in 2021.
The seasonal pattern for 2022 of mutton exports from Australia to Malaysia shows above average monthly flows since the start of the year. Since January 2022 monthly average volumes have achieved levels 38% above the five-year average pattern. In June 2022 volumes of 2,036 tonnes swt sits 60% above the average levels seen for June, according to the five-year pattern.
China still takes the lion’s share of Australian mutton exports. Volumes have been trending 15% above average seasonal levels for 2022. May to June saw a 31% decline in mutton exports from Australia to China but came off high levels in May, so current volumes of Aussie mutton exported to China are still nearly 10% above the average levels for June at 2,988 tonnes swt.