Australian goatmeat export values for August decreased 24% year-on-year, to $18.6 million FOB (Australian Bureau of Statistics) – driven by a 27% fall in the total volume shipped for the month (2,403 tonnes swt). This saw the year-to-August total at $1.4 billion FOB, down 1% on the corresponding period last year.
The lower export volume and value were underpinned by a decrease in goat slaughter during August, with NLRS average weekly eastern states goat kill down 4% year-on-year, to 31,660 head. This decline was attributed to slaughter levels in Victoria and SA halving year-on-year, to 5,962 head and 5,285 head, respectively. In contrast, goat slaughter in Queensland and NSW lifted, to 17,292 head and 3,121 head, respectively.
Returns from most of Australia’s major goatmeat export markets in August followed a similar trend, compared to the same time last year:
