Record Figures from Hungry Indonesia
INDONESIA - Increasing consumer demand for beef driven by a growing economy, combined with growth in feedlot infrastructure has contributed to record live cattle exports from Australia to Indonesia during the 2007-08 fiscal year just completed.According to Stock and Trade, Indonesia dominated Australia's live trade over the past 12 months, growing by a further 21pc on year-earlier figures, and accounting for 71pc of total Australian live cattle exports. Australian Bureau of Statistics figures released on Friday showed exports to Indonesia hit a record 547,189 head in 2007-08, up from the previous fiscal year high of 491,601 head set in 2002-03.
Despite the increase in numbers of live cattle exported last fiscal year, the value per head for 2007-08 averaged A$624, down 7pc on 2006-07 values, as the appreciating Australian dollar against the Indonesian rupiah capped prices.
It is interesting to note that the growth in trade to Indonesia comes despite the country's growing importance also as a chilled and frozen beef customer for Australia, with exports this calendar year to July, reaching 19,000 tonnes, ranking Indonesia as Australia's fifth largest beef market by volume.
TheCattleSite News Desk