16 JULY 2014
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
New Zealand Meat Exports October 2013 to June 2014
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) compiles lamb, mutton and beef export statistics for the country. The following is a
summary of the combined export statistics for the first nine months of the 2013-14 meat export season (1 October 2013 to
30 June 2014).
[All monetary values are in New Zealand dollars.]
Summary
Despite the high New Zealand dollar, particularly during the main export months of January to June, there was an
increase in the average value for lamb, mutton and beef/veal. A smaller national lamb crop flowed through to reduced
lamb export volumes. However, for only the fourth time in history, lamb exports exceeded $2 billion Free On Board (FOB)
in the first nine months of a season. This 2013-14 season has seen high levels of mutton processing, but this is
starting to drop off and is expected to continue easing until the end of the season. The high mutton throughput reflects
early processing and the impact of dairy conversions. Meanwhile, beef and veal exports were up, with higher volumes
exported since April.
October 2013 to June 2014 exports Annual change % Tonnes$ FOB$ FOB per tonneLamb-3.6%10.5%14.6%Mutton17.1%32.1%12.9%Beef and Veal4.4%5.8%1.3%
Sheepmeat
Lamb
Total lamb exports decreased by 3.6 per cent to 247,700 tonnes shipped weight in the first nine months of the season,
compared with the same period last season. June was particularly low – down 13 per cent, compared to June 2013 –
accounting for 40 per cent of the decline in volumes in 2013-14. The decline in lamb exports is expected to persist
until the end of the season. As supply tighten, the average value of lamb exports increased.
Over the first nine months of the season, the average value of lamb exports was $8,320 FOB per tonne – up 15 per cent on
the same period last season. The total value of lamb exports rose by 10 per cent, to $2.06 billion FOB. It is the fourth
time in history that lamb exports exceeded $2.0 billion FOB in the first nine months of a season.
Lamb exports to the European Union decreased by 5.9 per cent, partly offset by a rise in exports to North Asia – up 2.4
per cent. This change in export destinations includes a change in the allocation between chilled and frozen lamb.
Exports of chilled lamb decreased by 6.1 per cent, compared to a 2.8 per cent decline for frozen lamb.
Mutton
New Zealand’s exports of mutton increased by 17 per cent over the first nine months of the season, compared with the
same period last season, reaching a record high of 81,700 tonnes shipped weight. Mutton exports were consistently above
2012-13 levels from October to March, but since April volumes started to decline and are expected to continue declining.
In June, mutton exports fell by 21 per cent, compared to June 2013. The high level of mutton processing to date this
season is partly due to dairy conversions, but also due to greater numbers of ewes processed earlier.
In the first nine months of the season, the total value of mutton exports rose by 32 per cent, to $429.2 million FOB.
Mutton exports averaged $5,250 FOB per tonne, a 13 per cent increase on 2012-13.
Driven by China, the trade of carcasses continued to strengthen at the expense of higher value cuts. In addition to
mutton carcasses having a lower average value than other cuts, their value increased less than the value of other cuts
over the first nine months of 2013-14, compared with the same period last season. Mutton carcass exports averaged $4,650
per tonne in the first nine months of the 2013-14 season, up 7 per cent, while the average value of bone-in and boneless
cuts increased by 23 and 25 per cent respectively to $5,100 and $7,330 per tonne.
Beef and veal
Over the first nine months of the meat export season, beef and veal exports increased by 4.4% to 312,700 tonnes shipped
weight – the second highest level ever recorded. After remaining stable in the first half of the season, compared to the
same period last season, beef and veal export volumes rose strongly in May and June (up 17 per cent and 20 per cent,
respectively).
The total value of beef and veal exports increased by 5.8 per cent – to $1.85 billion FOB. Beef and veal exports
averaged $5,900 FOB per tonne over the first nine months of this season, up 1.3 per cent on the same period last season.
Average returns achieved from Asian markets increased over the first nine months of the season, compared with the same
period of 2012-13, while the average value received from North America was down on last season. The average value of
beef and veal exports was up 5.3 per cent for North Asia, up 3.9 per cent for South Asia and down 1.5 per cent for North
America.
Beef and veal exports to North Asia averaged $6,230 FOB per tonne in the first nine months of the 2013-14 season, while
the average value was $5,550 for South Asia and $5,280 for North America. The differences reflect the product mix
exported to each region.
With regard to processing beef exports, the average value of processing beef exported to North America was ahead of
returns achieved from Asian markets. The average value received for processing beef from North America was $5,060 FOB
per tonne, compared with $4,670 per tonne from North Asia and $4,240 from South Asia.
For more information, please contact B+LNZ Chief Economist Andrew Burtt on 04 474 0842 or B+LNZ Communications Manager,
Jan KeirSmith 027 271 7593.
Meat exports interactive tool
B+LNZ has developed an interactive tool for further analysis of New Zealand’s meat exports. It allows you to generate
and download customised data and graphs of export lamb and beef statistics by market, value, and volume. Examples
attached.
Access the tool at: http://portal.beeflambnz.com/tools/export-tool