AUSTRALIAN goat meat prices are continuing to push higher as exports increase.
Meat & Livestock Australia said national over-the-hook goat indicators averaged 614c/kg cwt in January, reaching top quotes of 700c/kg cwt during the month.
For the first week of February; however, indicators have continued to push higher, averaging 640c/kg cwt this week.
Goat meat exports kicked off 2017 with a 31 percent increase year-on-year, reaching 2863 tonnes shipped weight in January – almost all of which consisted of frozen carcases, according to Department of Agriculture and Water Resources statistics.
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MLA said all major destinations for Australian goat meat registered year-on-year growth in January. Shipments to the United States increased 40pc to 2178 tonnes, Taiwan took 305 tonnes, more than double year-ago levels and Canada imported 144 tonnes swt, up 41pc on January 2016 shipments. Shipments to Korea lifted 12pc to 118 tonnes.
MLA said sespite the increase in goat meat shipments in January, eastern states goat slaughter averaged 33,743 head per week for the first month of the year, down 16pc on January 2016 levels. This indicated 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, MLA said.
NSW and Queensland slaughtered an average of 5536 head per week in January, down 35pc, and South Australia processed an average 7091 head per week, down 38pc. Victoria averaged 15,580 head per week, up 35pc.
Source: MLA.
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