Australia-Meat sales to Asia.

AUSTRALIA-RECORD MEAT SALES TO ASIA AND CHINA.

Australian beef exports to South-East Asia and China during the March quarter reached the highest level on record for any quarter, jumping 58 per cent compared with that of the same quarter last year, reaching 26,623 tonnes swt.

Records were achieved for both chilled and frozen shipments to the region, at 3,023 tonnes swt and 23,600 tonnes swt, respectively.

Indonesia continued to be the leading export destination for Australian beef in South-EastAsia and China, with a record quarterly volume from Australia, reaching 11,718 tonnes swt – more than double the shipments during January to March 2008.

Exports to Taiwan proved to be strongest in six years, at 6,286 tonnes swt, as the lower A$ kept Australian beef competitively priced compared with product from other suppliers such as US beef.

Exports to the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand were also at their highest in many years.

Shipments to South-East Asia/Chinas continued to be dominated by manufactured beef, representing 36pc of the total exports during January to March, the majority of which were sent to Indonesia and the Philippines.