CANBERRA: Australian lamb exports in August declined two per cent year-on-year to 17,552 tonnes shipped weight.
The proportion of chilled and frozen product remains fairly evenly split, with 45pc, or 7995 tonnes swt chilled and 55pc or 9557 tonnes swt frozen. Lamb exports to the Middle East accounted for 34pc of total volume and edged 21pc higher in August on year-ago levels, to 5976 tonnes swt
Volumes to the US made up for 21pc of total exports and were up 4pc year-on-year, at 3637 tonnes swt. Exports to China and Japan eased 27pc and 30pc, to 2307 tonnes swt and 481 tonnes swt, respectively.
Shipments to Korea more than doubled a 385 tonnes swt, while exports to South East Asia were up 37pc, at 1,236 tonnes swt. Lamb to the EU continues to ease, back 43pc to 553 tonnes swt.
Weekly eastern states mutton slaughter, reported by MLA, slipped 11pc year-on-year in August, to 111,589 head. Subsequently, mutton exports continued to decline (back 15pc year-on-year), to 9291 tonnes swt.
China, Japan and South East Asia all recorded reduced volumes, to 1102 tonnes swt, 228 tonnes swt and 1617 tonnes swt, respectively.
Shipments to the EU almost doubled, at 405 tonnes swt. Volume to the Middle East accounted for 33pc of total exports, although were back 9pc year-on-year, at 3101 tonnes swt. Mutton to the US more than doubled on year-ago levels, at 996 tonnes swt during the month.
