WELLINGTON: New Zealand sheepmeat exports in August increased by almost a quarter and volumes to the UK were up by almost 75% at 4,000t, AHDB has said.
The organisation for the English beef and sheep industry (AHDB) also said that August is a seasonal low point for sheepmeat shipments from New Zealand, however volumes are up compared to 2014.
According to AHDB, this follows higher than forecast production of sheepmeat in New Zealand over the southern hemisphere winter, while the falling value of the New Zealand Dollar will have made them more competitive on the global market.
It attributes the increase to a sharp rise in volumes going to the UK, the second largest market for New Zealand sheepmeat.
However, while volumes going to the UK were up by almost 75% at 4,000t, this is still the second lowest level of the year so far, it said.
Following falls seen in the first six months of the year exports to China, New Zealand’s largest sheepmeat market, were up by 6% to 7,200t, according to AHDB.
There were also higher volumes of sheepmeat exported to the US, Germany and Canada, up by 38%, 73% and 22% respectively.
The percentage of exports shipped in the form of cuts was at 95% in August, which AHDB said was two percentage point higher than the same period in 2014.
With the average unit value of shipments increasing in New Zealand Dollar terms, AHDB said that the overall value of shipments were up 28% on the same month in 2014 at NZ$202m.
