AUSTRALIAN beef export records have fallen like ten-pins, as the industry enters the new financial year.

Official data released by DAFF shows:

• June monthly shipments at an all-time high, reaching 134,593t
• Financial year (July to June) shipment volumes at a new record level, and
• Grainfed exports surging past the previous record set in April, and for the fiscal year.

The results reflect the huge swings occurring in global beef trade this year, driven by sharply declining US beef production, trade access issues for US beef entering the China market, tariff impacts and persistently strong underlying international demand for beef.

Australia is in the box-seat to capitalise on the current market dynamics, with current high levels of production, albeit blighted by the impact of drought in parts of Victoria and South Australia.

Let’s talk about the total basket of export markets first.

Last month’s record tonnage at 134,593t was 4pc higher than May (already high at 129,000t) and 27pc higher than June last year.

For the calendar year first-half ended Monday, volume has reached 702,217t, easily the largest on record, and 17pc higher than the equivalent half-year in 2024.

The July 2024 to June 2025 financial year (ended Monday) saw total beef shipments to all destinations of 1.44 million tonnes, some 90,000t higher* than the previous record set back in the 2014-15 drought turnoff year, when volume reached 1.35mt.

(* editor’s note: the original version of this story had an extra zero on this figure – reading 900,000 instead of the correct 90,000t – thanks to our sharp-eyed readers for picking up the typo).   

That number is all the more noteworthy, because of the flooding and cyclone-related delays in production and logistics that occurred earlier this year.

At current rates of production (the week ended Friday set a 2025 season high of 159,000 head, according to NLRS reporting), it’s looking extremely likely that the 2025 calendar year will set another record, somewhere above 1.4 million head. The previous record from 2015 was a distant 1.23m.

Grainfed hits record numbers

Grainfed beef exports have also hit a new monthly record in June, as well as a new financial year record.

June grainfed volume hit a record number of almost 40,000t, up from the previous record set in April of 37,000t. The financial year grainfed volume was also record high at almost 404,000t, absolutely smashing the previous records set a year earlier (344,000t).

All of the top ten individual monthly records for grainfed exports have happened in the past year. That reflects the substantial growth being seen in Australian grainfeeding operations over the past two years, as well as a big decline now being seen in US grainfed production – either for US domestic consumption or export.

A key feature about the above record-setting pace is that it is being done with far fewer cattle than it was last time records were set (2014-15) when the industry was at full pace. It will be some time before official ABS slaughter statistics are released for the year ended Monday, but clearly heavier carcase weights are more than offsetting larger slaughter numbers (head-count) seen a decade ago.

MLA analyst Erin Lukey suggests NLRS adjusted adult slaughter estimates for the 2024-25 year will reach 8.78 million head.   That’s still some way behind the 9.4 million recorded in FY 2015 (the second highest since 1979), but carcase weights have advanced considerably since then. See Erin’s report here. 

A key feature about the current record export trend is that it is not dependent on any one particular customer, but rather, substantial growth in all four largest customers (US, Japan, Korea, China) as well as progress in smaller customers like Indonesia and Canada.

All key markets trend higher

Here’s a quick run-down on the key export markets for June, and the financial year just ended.

Exports to the United States last month reached 35,350t, up 23pc on June last year, but still 8pc behind May exports, as US importers stocked up for mid-summer grilling season. Neither come close to the all-time monthly record of 47,000t set back in October last year, but are nevertheless very high.

For the full calendar year ended Monday, our exports to the US reached just over 203,000t, up 31pc on the previous 12-month cycle, again reflecting current low US production – especially for manufacturing beef, but increasingly, fed cattle as well.

The low current rate of cow slaughter being experienced in New Zealand was another factor in Australia’s surge in exports to the US last month, and throughout the first half of 2025. Click here to view earlier comments on this topic.

China has also surged this year as an Australian export customer, partly in the face of tariff and plant license issues with the United States, where some 300 US beef processors that previously held China access have been awaiting license renewal since February.

Australia’s exports to China in June reached 27,036t, up 14pc on the previous month, and a spectacular 105pc rise on June trade last year. For the full fiscal year ended Monday, volume reached 128,510t, up 43pc on year-earlier figures.

Japan’s imports of Australian beef also lifted last month, reaching 21,876t, up 10pc on May, but still 15pc behind June trade last year. Full fiscal year volume has reached 117,763t, 12pc behind the previous trading year.

South Korea followed a similar trend, with June exports at 19,343t being the sixth largest month on record. Lower US grainfed production is now being seen in larger shipment volumes from Australia into Korea, especially in prized cuts like bone-in shortrib.

Our June exports to Korea were 11pc higher than the previous month, and 20pc higher than this time last year. Full fiscal year volume reached 101,527t, up 13pc on the previous cycle.

Emerging markets

Emerging and developing export markets have followed a similar trend to the big-hitters noted above.

Indonesia remains a strong second-tier market, especially for frozen product, accounting for 6455t last month, up 6pc on May, and 21pc higher than June last year. Full financial year volume has reached 29,322t, still 13pc behind the previous year.

Following a trend that’s emerged over the past 12 months, Canada remains a vigorous customer for Australian beef, taking another 4245t last month – up an incredible 153pc on this time last year. Full-year volume has gone past 19,700t, 55pc higher than the previous financial year.

Elsewhere, southern and central Asian customers like the Philippines, Taiwan and Thailand were all sharply higher on the previous month, and this time last year, being +34pc, +15pc and +82pc on June 2024 shipments.

The United Kingdom (more details in a story next week), is now showing some signs of growth, albeit off a very low base, some two years after the Free Trade Agreement was struck. June exports reached 1817t, up marginally on the previous month, but 101pc higher than this time last year. Full 2024-25 year volume has reached 6422t, some 125pc higher than a year earlier.