New Zealand's red meat sector achieved sales of $1.1 billion during July, a 26 per cent increase on July 2021, according to an analysis by the Meat Industry Association (MIA).
China remained the standout market with red meat exports worth $460 million, up 42 per cent on last July.
Other major markets were Japan at $58 million, up 36 per cent, the Netherlands at $38 million, up 132 per cent, and the UK at $38 million, up 97 per cent. Exports to the US dropped by 22 per cent to $191 million.
Strong red meat prices in global markets continued to help absorb the impact of continued market volatility and higher costs, MIA chief executive Sirma Karapeeva said.
Overall, beef exports fell nine per cent year on year to 44,744 tonnes but were still high for this time of the year as July 2021 was a record month.
Beef export volumes to the US dropped 50 per cent to 9092 tonnes, in the face of high levels of US beef production resulting from ongoing drought and higher feed and other input costs.
The value of beef exports for the month saw an increase of 17 per cent from last July to reach $485 million.
The value of beef exports to China increased by 66 per cent to $251 million, although the value of beef exports to the US dropped by 39 per cent to $95 million.
Meat Industry Association chief executive Sirma Karapeeva. Photo / Supplied
Chinese demand for beef continued to be strong, with the volume of exports up 20 per cent from last July to 23,690 tonnes.
Beef export volumes and values also increased to Japan, with 3241 tonnes, up 37 per cent, worth $36 million, and to Korea up 21 per cent to 2223 tonnes, worth $21 million.
Meanwhile, sheepmeat exports also saw an increase.
A total of 33,533 tonnes of sheepmeat was exported, a 33 per cent increase on last July and the largest volume for the month since 2008.
The high sheepmeat export volumes were likely due to a catch-up in processing in recent months, flowing through into exports, Karapeeva said.
In the first quarter of the year, there were 1.4 million fewer sheep processed than in the first three months of 2021 but in the second quarter, 738,000 more sheep were processed than in the second quarter of last year.
The overall increase in export volume meant there was an increase in sheepmeat volume to most major markets.
China was up 24 per cent to 17,874 tonnes, the UK by 98 per cent to 2703 tonnes, and the Netherlands by 118 per cent to 1646 tonnes.
The US was down by 29 per cent to 1982 tonnes.
"While the volume of sheepmeat exports to the US was down, the value still increased, reaching a record $23.31 per kilo," Karapeeva said.
