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Market access

Red Meat 2030: market access priorities

Improved market access, and the successful defence of existing gains, will be critical in achieving industry’s 2030 goal of improving economic resilience.

Fortunately, Australian red meat and livestock has access to many export markets, thanks to robust integrity systems, an unrivalled disease-free status, and a track record by the Australian industry in partnership with the Government in perusing preferential trade reform.

However, a large number of Australia's overseas markets remain subject to entry barriers. These impediments to trade are imposed in many forms. Border protection measures, including tariffs and quotas, are the most obvious. However, non-tariff barriers and technical imposts are also major issues. While Australian exports have benefited from the reduction in tariffs over the last three decades, non-tariff barriers can often prohibit the industry from fully realising those gains.

Red Meat 2030 outlines industry’s goals in relation to market access:

  • to strongly pursue  preferential access into both new and existing  markets; and
  • to reduce the impact of non-tariff barriers (compared to the 2020 baseline).

In terms of preferential access, the Australian red meat industry’s current priority is to secure improved import regimes through ongoing trade negotiations with the European Union and India.

When it comes to non-tariff reform, removing impediments in the Middle East, China and South East Asia are the priority.

Current tariffs and safeguards / quotas in selected Australian beef markets (2025)

Market

Agreement(s)

Applied tariff (%)

Safeguard / quota and
out-of-quota tariff

Canada

CPTPP

0

-

Chile

A-CFTA / CPTPP

0

-

China

ChAFTA / RCEP

0

Safeguard: 208,307t; 12% (25% for carcasses)

European Union

WTO

20% (Hilton HQB), 0% (shared GFB)

Quotas: 3,389t (Hilton HQB); 12,400t (shared GFB); 12.8% + up to 3 €/kg

Gulf Cooperation Council

WTO / A-UAE CEPA

0-5%

-

Hong Kong

A-HKFTA

0

-

India

WTO

30%

-

Indonesia

AANZFTA / IA-CEPA

0

-

Japan

JAEPA / CPTPP / RCEP

21.6% (from 1 April)

Safeguard: 672,000t (CPTPP); 30% (from 1 April)

Korea

KAFTA / RCEP

8%

Safeguard: 192.206t; 24%

Malaysia

MAFTA / AANZFTA / CPTPP

0

-

Mexico

CPTPP

4-5%

-

New Zealand

CER / AANZFTA / CPTPP / RCEP

0

-

Peru

CPTPP / PAFTA

0-5%

-

Philippines

AANZFTA

0

-

Russia (NB current ban on beef imports)

WTO

15%

Shared quotas: 11,000t (chilled); 407,000t (frozen); 50%

Singapore

SAFTA / AANZFTA / CPTPP / RCEP

0

-

South Africa

WTO

40% or 240c/kg

-

Taiwan

WTO

NT $10.5/kg

-

Thailand

TAFTA / AANZFTA / RCEP

0

-

United Kingdom

WTO / A-UKFTA

0-20%

WTO Quota: 3,761t; FTA Quota: 51,667t; 12.0% + up to 2.6 £/kg

United States

AUSFTA

10%

0% under AUSFTA; 10% baseline ‘US Liberation Day’ tariff

Vietnam

AANZFTA / CPTPP / RCEP

0

-
Current tariffs and quotas in selected Australian sheepmeat / goatmeat markets (2025)

Market

Agreement(s)

Applied tariff (%)

Quota and out-of-quota tariff (%)

Canada

CPTPP

0

-

Chile

A-CFTA / CPTPP

0

-

China

ChAFTA

0

-

European Union

WTO

0

Quota: 5,851t;
12.8% + up to 3.1€/kg

Gulf Cooperation Council

WTO / A-UAE CEPA

0-5%

-

Hong Kong

A-HKFTA

0

-

India

AI-ECTA

0

-

Indonesia 

AANZFTA/ IA-CEPA

0

-

Japan

JAEPA / CPTPP

0

-

Korea

KAFTA

0

-

Malaysia

MAFTA / AANZFTA / CPTPP

0

-

Mexico

CPTPP

0

-

New Zealand

CER / AANZFTA / CPTPP

0

-

Papua New Guinea

WTO

0

-

Peru

CPTPP / PAFTA

0

-

Philippines

AANZFTA

0 (5% for goatmeat)

-

Russia

WTO

15%

-

Singapore

SAFTA / AANZFTA / CPTPP

0

-

South Africa

WTO

40% or 200c/kg

-

Taiwan

WTO

15% or NT $11.3/kg

-

Thailand

TAFTA / AANZFTA

0

-

United Kingdom

WTO / A-UKFTA

0

WTO Quota: 13,335t; 12.0% + up to 2.6 £/kg; FTA Quota: 36,111t

United States

AUSFTA

10%

0% under AUSFTA; 10% baseline ‘US Liberation Day’ tariff

Vietnam

AANZFTA / CPTPP / RCEP

0

-

Note: as tariff rates and quotas can alter, reference should also be made to DFAT’s FTA Portal as well as the tariff schedules available from the relevant authority in the country of interest.

Acronyms:

AANZFTA: ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area; AI ECTA: Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement; A-UKFTA: Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement; A-UAE CEPA: Australia United Arab Emirates Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement;  AUSFTA: Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement; CER: Australia-New Zealand Closer Economic Relations; CPTPP: Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership; ChAFTA: China-Australia Free Trade Agreement; A-HKFTA: Australia-Hong Kong Free Trade Agreement; IA-CEPA: Indonesia-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement; JAEPA: Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement; KAFTA: Korea-Australia Free Trade Agreement; MAFTA: Malaysia-Australia Free Trade Agreement; PAFTA: Peru-Australia Free Trade Agreement; RCEP: Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership; SAFTA: Singapore-Australia Free Trade Agreement; TAFTA: Thailand-Australia Free Trade Agreement; WTO: World Trade Organisation.

The importance of market access

As a major exporting industry, changes in access to overseas markets affect the profitability of both individual livestock producers and meat processors. Access to a wide array of global markets allows Australian exporters to maximise the value of each carcase and reduce the risk of being overly reliant on any one buyer. Dynamic international market conditions require an ongoing effort to defend access and, where possible, secure improvements to export conditions via trade reform.

MLA's role in market access

MLA’s market access program, co-funded by producer levies and processor contributions, works alongside industry and government to defend and maintain existing favourable access conditions, position Australia positively in trade negotiations and assist with the alleviation of non-tariff (technical) trade barriers via in-market representation and research.

MLA’s contribution is led by staff in Sydney, and via our overseas offices in Washington DC, London, Dubai, Beijing, Tokyo, Seoul, Singapore and Jakarta, coupled with our network of representatives in South East Asia.

Broadly speaking, MLA has a trade advocacy role.

Resources and information

MICoR

MICoR

DAFF’s database of importing country requirements