RECENT imported beef tariff impacts in China and the United States are clearly evident in Australia’s August beef export statistics released late yesterday.

Total exports for the month to all markets reached 128,832 tonnes, a sizeable 15,000t or 10pc decline on the previous month – but that can largely be attributed to lower mid-winter production, rather than any decline in overall demand.

For the calendar year to date, beef export shipments have now gone past the one million tonnes mark, reaching 1,077,644t by the end of August. That’s up 89,000t or 9pc on the same eight months last year, following record and near-record monthly volume during April and May.

Key features in last month’s export performance were more signs of the big surge in trade into the US, and the dramatic year-on-year decline into China.

Volume to China in August reached only 7790t – following Australia’s triggering of its 2026 quota of 205,000t back on June 19. As described in this earlier article, all Australian exports to China for the remainder of 2026 are subject to a hefty 55pc tariff. For comparison, August trade to China last year (when no tariff distortions were in place) reached 22,300t – about three times the volume shipped last month.

Calendar year exports to China have reached 155,000t, now some 27,000t or 15pc behind the same eight months last year, as the tariff-driven slowdown takes effect.

What’s perhaps most surprising is the fact that there is any trade into China at all, under the current extreme tariff burden. Higher value cuts like Wagyu and marbled Angus continue to find their way into the upper end of the Chinese food service and retail segment, despite the heavy 55pc tariff.

Prior to the tariff being triggered, some Chinese customers had started stockpiling imported Australian product, for use during the remainder of the year, before the quota re-sets at zero on 1 January.

As expected, the United States has absorbed some of the product diverted out of a declining China market.

Shipments to US east and west coast ports (plus a few containers direct into Hawaii) last month reached 43,979t. While that was down from near-record July exports of 48,000t, it is still up 3200t or 8pc from August last year. It also partly reflects lower mid-winter Australian processing activity since mid-July.

Year to date, exports to the US have already reached a phenomenal 335,196t – up 48,300t or 17pc on this period last year, as the US continues to soak up large volumes of Australian beef in the face of low domestic production, the absence of live cattle imports out of Mexico and other factors.

Market watchers will be intently focussed on Australia’s US trade during September, following news that US president Donald Trump has dropped the 26.4pc tariff applying on Brazilian imports for the next three months, totalling up to 300,000t.

Once Brazil triggers its own China quota in coming days, it is widely anticipated that it will shift much of its focus into the US market.

How this impacts Australian volumes exported during September remains to be seen, however prices on lean trimmings (mostly 90CL cow meat) have come under considerable pressure in recent days, as outlined in this earlier article. On top of that, peak US beef demand is now passing as the northern hemisphere enters its cooler Fall (autumn) period.

Several other large Asian export markets have also soaked up some of the shortfall from lower volume into China.

Japan’s imports last month reached 25,793t, down marginally on the month before, but up 6400t or 32pc on August last year. For the calendar year to date, exports to Japan are now at 176,205t, some 16,000t or 10pc above the same eight months last year.

It’s no surprise that South Korea has shown a sharp dip in August trade out of Australia compared with the month before, having filled its quota for the year on 23 July, adding 24pc to the cost of Australian imports for the remainder of the year.

Last month saw tonnages into Korea at 17,685t, down 12,000t or 41pc from the record high seen in July (29,068t), as importers raced to fill their coldrooms to escape the looming tariff burden. Trade in August last year was just short of 21,500t, but the annual quota did not trigger until considerably later – mid September.

Year-to-date, Korea has now taken 188,747t of Australian beef – slightly more than Japan – and almost 45,000t more than the same eight months last year.

Emerging markets mixed

Emerging and secondary export markets produced mixed results last month, but were largely in line with lower production levels.

Boxed beef trade into Indonesia retracted a little, reaching 3825t – virtually all frozen boneless.

That was down 8.5pc on July volumes, but a substantial 2100t or 36pc down on August last year when trade was still vigorous. For the calendar year so far, Indo has taken 23,480t – sharply down on the 41,800t shipped over the same period in 2025.

Canada continued to shine as a relatively new market for Australian export beef, accounting for another 6200t last month, up 800t or 15pc on July shipments and marginally higher than August last year.

The past eight months has produced volume of 36,200t into Canada, up almost 6000t on 2025.

Trade into the United Kingdom eased a little last month in line with supply, but the longer term trend is steady growth. Last month tonnage reached 1175t, compared with 1600t the month before.

So far in 2026, the UK has taken 14,617t, up 39pc from the same eight months last year.

Shipments to the eight Middle East countries last month reached 4853t, up about 400t on July, and 1300t more than August last year, despite the logistics challenges presented by the Strait of Hormuz conflict. For the 2026 year, volume to the ME region is at 29,355t, up about 5000t on last year.