THE outlook for lamb exports was strong, according to Meat and Livestock Australia chief marketing officer Lisa Sharp.
Export volumes were expected to increase, with 2016’s total tipped to be three per cent higher than last year’s 240,000 tonnes (shipped weight).
Ms Sharp said during the 2016 January to June period, our exports were up by seven per cent year-on-year and were 27pc above the five year average.
This included high value chilled lines which had increased 3pc year-on-year, to sit at 33pc above the five year average, she said.
Frozen lamb shipments for the same period lifted 9pc and were up by 23pc on the five year average.
For that January to June period, the destinations of the Middle East, US and China totalled 66pc of our lamb exports, up from 57pc last year.
A lot of this growth was due to an increase in the volume sent to the US, which lifted by 11pc, including chilled and frozen product.
Outside of these regions, Korea was a star performer, enjoying an increase of 57pc in the volume it took on the previous year.
She said a lot of this growth was in the barbecue sector.
