Tuesday, 31 May 2022 10:38

Red meat exports achieve record April

Written by  Staff Reporters
New Zealand red meat exports hit a record in April. New Zealand red meat exports hit a record in April.

New Zealand red meat exports hit a record in April however ongoing volatility in China indicates head winds in the coming months, says the Meat Industry Association (MIA).

New Zealand exported products worth $999.6 million during the month of April, up 16% on April 2021 with the value of overall exports increasing to most major markets.

Sirma Karapeeva, chief executive of MIA, says that while red meat exports continued to achieve good returns, there was some fluctuation in demand, particularly in China and the US.

“The value of overall exports to China was down 6% year on year. There was also a small drop in the volume of both sheepmeat and beef exported. The reduction in sheepmeat was largely due to China, with beef exports to the US also dipping,” Karapeeva says.

She says that while still below pre-pandemic levels, volumes of overall sheepmeat exports to the EU and UK were up compared to the last two years.

“Shipping challenges continue to impact UK chilled exports.”

Despite the drop in volumes, with sheepmeat down by 6% and beef by 4%, the overall value of exports increased to April 2021 with sheepmeat (35,553 tonnes) up 8% to $408m and beef (41,350 tonnes) up 25% to $414m.

The value of overall sheepmeat exports to the UK ($52.3m) was the highest that it has been in April for a number of years.

Karapeeva says this would have been higher if chilled exports were at their normal levels.

April continued the trend of strong beef exports into the other north Asian markets, in particular Korea.

New Zealand has exported a record $131 million worth of beef into Korea during the first four months of the year – compared to $132 million worth exported there during the whole of 2021.

It was also another strong month for co-products, with the value of all categories increasing and the overall value up 14% to $178m.

More like this

Editorial: NZ's great China move

OPINION: The New Zealand red meat sector, with support from the Government, has upped the ante to retain and expand its niche in the valuable Chinese market - and the signs are looking positive.

Positive vibes from China

Silver Fern Farms chief executive Dan Boulton says his recent visit to China has left him feeling optimistic about the situation there for the meat industry.

Featured

Massey Research Field Day attracts huge interest

More than 200 people turned out on Thursday, November 21 to see what progress has been made on one of NZ's biggest and most comprehensive agriculture research programmes on regenerative agriculture.

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo being once again hosted in Wairoa in February.

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make an early November dash to Bologna to the 46th EIMA exhibition.

National

Winter grazing warning

Every time people from overseas see photographs of cows up to their hocks in mud it's bad for New Zealand.

ANZ defends farm lending rates

The country's largest lender to the agriculture sector says it's not favouring home loans over farm and business lending.

Machinery & Products

Expo set to wow again

Stellar speakers, top-notch trade sites, innovation, technology and connections are all on offer at the 2025 East Coast Farming Expo…

A year of global challenges

As a guest of the Italian Trade Association, Rural News Group Machinery Editor Mark Daniel took the opportunity to make…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Review SOEs!

OPINION: NIWA has long weathered complaints about alleged stifling of competition in forecasting, and more recently, claims of lack of…

Bank reset

OPINION: Adding to calls to get banks to 'back off', NZ Agri Brokers director Andrew Laming has revealed that the…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter