Strong start to 2017 for goatmeat exports

Australian goatmeat exports kicked off 2017 with a 31% increase year-on-year, reaching 2,863 tonnes shipped weight (swt) in January – almost all of which consisted of frozen carcases (Department of Agriculture and Water Resources).

All major destinations for Australian goatmeat registered year-on-year growth in January:

• The US – 2,178 tonnes swt, up 40%
• Taiwan – 305 tonnes swt, more than double year-ago levels
• Canada – 144 tonnes swt, up 41%
• Korea – 118 tonnes swt, up 12%

Despite the increase in goatmeat shipments in January, eastern states goat slaughter averaged 33,743 head per week for the first month of the year, down 16% on January 2016 levels – indicating some export stock may have been carried over into the year.  The overall decline was underpinned by lower weekly averages across the majority of states, which were not enough to offset an increase in processing in Victoria:

• NSW and Queensland averaged 5,536 head per week – down 35%
• SA averaged 7,091 head per week – down 38%
• Victoria averaged 15,580 head per week – up 35%

National over-the-hook goat indicators averaged 614¢/kg cwt in January, reaching top quotes of 700¢/kg cwt during the month. For the first week of February, however, indicators have continued to push higher – averaging 640¢/kg cwt this week.