NOAA has declared an El Nino, formed in June and tipped to strengthen into 2027, and across Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines governments have moved from watching to spending | A dry year’s feed and disease stress lands on the part of the Indonesian trade already squeezed between a capped feedlot price and dearer Australian cattle | Manila is building home-grown foot-and-mouth and swine fever vaccine capability…Read More
The big news this month came from outside the region, China recognising the whole of Brazil as free of foot-and-mouth disease and opening the world’s largest beef market fully to the world’s largest beef exporter. The reason it matters here is twofold…Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 11/06/2026
Vietnam seeks emergency approval to import SAT-1 FMD vaccines as cross-border disease risk rises | Indonesian meat processors continue to lobby for their 2026 private beef quota to be restored from 30,000 to 180,000 tonnes | Sea freight stays under pressure, with Singapore bunker fuel at USD 850/mt still nearly double January’s USD 480/mt…Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 22/05/2026
Post-Eid prices stay high, margins crushed | Zero tariff proposal draws fierce industry opposition | SAT-1 FMD threat tightens Thai cattle border | Australia dominates beef imports, US trade deal looms..Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 21/04/2026
Brazil and Canada are expanding market access in Southeast Asia as regional buyers diversify beef supply | Indonesia continues enforcing Ramadan beef price caps as cattle prices hold around IDR 55,000/kg liveweight | Tight cattle supply and wet season conditions are limiting availability into Darwin despite strong export demand…Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 11/03/2026
Australian live feeder prices have now pushed above Indonesia’s effective government price cap | Indonesia again carried the bulk of 2025 volumes, but the Philippines and new breeder markets added welcome depth | Rising feeder prices are pushing exporters to focus more heavily on higher-margin breeder and dairy cattle…Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 10/02/2026Indonesia continues exploring Brazilian feeder cattle | Vietnam meat imports rising amid feed cost squeeze | Philippine beef demand is set to rise into 2026..Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 16/12/2025
Indonesia’s beef herd has collapsed by a third since 2022, reinforcing demand for Australian live cattle | Feeder prices in northern Australia surged to $4.50/kg, the fastest rise in years | Vietnam and Philippines steady, but typhoon season is causing disruption…Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 13/11/2025
Indonesia bids for FMD-free status in nine eastern provinces, but 2026 looks ambitious given weak surveillance and vaccination | Vietnam tightens wastewater rules and pushes VAT reforms to ease feed costs | Philippines expands buffalo meat imports..Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 10/10/2025
Indonesia’s demand is holding strong, supported by stable prices and new programs | Vietnam’s livestock herds are shrinking under import pressure and high feed costs | Australia’s disease-free status continues to underpin strong regional trust..Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 09/09/2025
New room-temperature mRNA FMD vaccine could remove cold chain barriers | Strong signal from Indonesia: more halal beef needed for school meals program | Dairy herd target of one million by 2029 well above current import pace | Vietnam’s major pork firms grow despite ASF, beef sector still investing in scaling up..Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 14/08/2025
Across key importing countries, the first half of 2025 has seen governments take a more assertive stance on food security…Read More
Dr Michael Patching, 08/07/2025