021054 Australian Cattle Exports Surge to 5-Year HighOctober 31, 2002Canberra, Australia - Australian live cattle exports in September surged to their highest level since June 1997, just before the Asian economic contagion flattened the trade, the government's Bureau of Statistics reported. Cattle industry sources warmly welcomed the data, coming at a time when most of Australia facing a drought and the condition of the national herd is deteriorating. The bureau reported 106,563 beasts valued at A$61.3 million were exported in September, compared with exports of 83,963 beasts valued at A$51.2 million in August. Exports in September 2001 totaled 85,774 beasts valued at A$55.5 million. Industry services concern Australian Livestock Export Corp. said exports in the first nine months of this year are up 8.2% to 638,725 beasts from the year- earlier period. In other figures for the first nine months, exports to Indonesia are up 39% at 286,715 beasts; to the Philippines, up 10% at 87,783 beasts; to Egypt, down 45% at 85,029; to Malaysia, up 20% at 67,041; and to Saudi Arabia, up more than four times at 34,270. Kevin Shiell, chief executive of LiveCorp, said the figures show the continued demand for livestock in a number of overseas markets and the ongoing strength of this important rural export industry. "It's pleasing to see that at a time when producers are facing serious drought conditions that competition for stock from the live export trade is holding price per head values at relatively high levels as well as providing them with alternative options for the sale of stock," he said in a statement. Shiell noted that 292 cattle shipments and 82 sheep consignments left Australia, or an average 1.4 consignments every day in the first nine months of this year. Keith Adams, president of producer group Cattle Council of Australia, said the data underscores the importance of the trade to the industry during one of the toughest droughts on record.
E-mail: sflanagan@sprintmail.com |
