Smattering on the water
The Snapshot
- Current live export cattle volumes from Australia to Vietnam are running 92% below the five-year average trend.
- Trade volumes to Indonesia are running at levels that are 49% below the five-year seasonal average trend.
- Meanwhile, live cattle exports to China remain 113% above the average pattern for the first two months of the year.
- Total volumes of live cattle exports from Australia are running 49% under the five-year average seasonal pattern.
The Detail
Another month of very low Australian live cattle flows to Vietnam have been reported with just 913 head listed for export over February 2022. High domestic prices for live cattle in Australia and alternative options out of Brazil in the last few months have seen the trade effectively dry up so far in 2022. Current volumes to Vietnam are running 92% below the five-year average trend for the first two months of the year.
The live cattle export level from Australia to Indonesia managed a 50% lift over February to record 22,193 head transported. However, January flows were exceptionally low and this means that, despite the large month on month increase, volumes to Indonesia are also being impacted by high priced Australian cattle. So far this year trade volumes to Indonesia are running at levels that are 49% below the five-year seasonal average trend.
Meanwhile, live cattle exports to China remain 113% above the average pattern for the first two months of the year, despite volumes falling 51% over the month to 9,199 head.
Total live export flows were reported at 36,628 head for February 2022, a 10% decline from the volumes seen over January. So far, over the first two months of 2022 total volumes of live cattle exports from Australia are running 49% under the five-year average seasonal pattern.
