Cheap goatmeat drives surge in exports

Goatmeat exports reached 33,891 tonnes in 2023, up from 21,831 in 2022.

It marked the second highest volume on record for a calendar year since 2014.

But the value of the exports was down to $237.5 million from its $261 million level in 2022 reflecting the drop in export goatmeat prices from above $12/kg to less than $7/a kg.

While volume was up, the value of exports was down, reflecting the decline in export goatmeat prices from over $12/kg to below $7/kg over the past 18 months.

The surge in exports went hand in hand with a year of record goatmeat and slaughter.

While the US remains the top market for Australian goatmeat, taking 43pc of exports, a surge in demand from China has seen the nation steal the second top spot from South Korea.

China last year accounted for 20pc of exports, jumping from 290 tonnes in 2022 up to 6757 tonnes in a more than 22 fold increase.

South Korea also increased its volumes though, to take 18pc of Australian goatmeat exports.

A number of other markets also increased their volumes in 2023, including Trinidad and Tobago while Indonesia, Oman, Jordan, and Mauritius all resumed exports after a hiatus in 2022.