Australian goatmeat exports jump 60 per cent in 2023, new figures show

Demand for Australian goatmeat has skyrocketed over the past year, with export volumes increasing by about 60 per cent thanks to a surge in demand from China.

Exports to China have increased by a whopping 4053 per cent, to 5587 tonnes, compared to last year, according to the latest figures from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Meat and Livestock Australia market analyst Emily Tan said this represented 20 per cent of the total export volume.

“The main change this year has been a huge increase in exports to China, from almost nothing to Australia’s second largest market,” she said.

“In 2022, Australia exported 289t of goatmeat to China, 1 per cent of our total exports.”

The figures were revealed in DAFF’s recently released July-September quarter data.

While Australia was already the world’s biggest exporter of goatmeat, volumes so far this year have lifted by 47 per cent year-on-year to 27,816t — the second highest export volume on record.

“Importantly, Australia’s goatmeat export mix has also shifted markedly as supply has improved,” Ms Tan said.

“In periods of high supply, a diverse range of export markets is useful to drive demand for our exports.

“In this case, a big boost in export volumes to China shows that demand can be found for Australian red meat, even for products that had not been in high demand in the past.”

Episode 3 analyst Matt Dalgleish said it had been a decade since China accounted for so much market share of Australian goatmeat exports.

“The growth in demand for Aussie goat meat from China has been extraordinary this year, with trade volumes not seen since 2013,” he said.

“Even compared to the 2013 season, goat export volumes are running nearly 67 per cent higher this year.”

South Korea sits in third spot for top Australian goatmeat export destinations, accounting for 19.2 per cent so far this year.

Taiwan sits in fourth place, accounting for 6 per cent.