CANBERRA: IT looks to be a promising year for most major Australian agricultural exports, with prices trending higher, despite challenging international conditions. The lower Australian dollar has boosted beef and lamb, and saved wheat and dairy from the price volatility seen overseas, according to the latest National Australia Bank export update.
The report was presented tonight at a NAB trade and export forum in Bendigo, where experts also discussed how to make the most of export opportunities. The bank has updated its exchange rate forecasts, increasing it’s Australian dollar forecasts for the first half of calendar year 2016 to above US70c, but lowering them for the second half of the year to US67c by year end.
The report showed beef prices were up 45.4 per cent, on average, from last year. Beef export prices were up 3.7 per cent, but were expected to drop next year by 10.4 per cent.