fast facts 2013

Australia’s beef industry

Australia is one of the world’s most efficient producers of cattle and the
National cattle numbers world’s third largest exporter of beef. The off-farm meat value of the
as at June 2012 Australian beef and cattle industry is $12.3 billion (consumer expenditure
28.5 million head
plus export value).

Herd facts and figures:

• 77,164 properties with cattle (ABS Agricultural Commodities
NT 2011-12).
2.2 million
WA
2.1 million
Queensland
12.2 million • 28.5 million cattle and calves (ABS Agricultural Commodities
SA
1.3 million 2011-12).
NSW
5.8 million • 13.6 million beef cows and heifers (ABS Agricultural Commodities
2011-12).
Victoria
4.1 million
• The cattle industry involves 57% of all farms with agricultural activity.
Tasmania

People in the industry:

0.7 million

Source: ABS (final 2012)

• Around 200,000 people are involved in the red meat industry,
including on-farm production, processing and retail.

Australian beef and veal production How much is produced?

2.2 million tonnes cwt (2012-13) • In 2012-13, Australia produced approximately 2.2 million tonnes cwt
of beef and veal (ABS).
Victoria
16%
NSW • In 2012-13, 2.6 million grainfed cattle were marketed – 33% of all
Tasmania 22%
3% adult cattle slaughtered.
What is the value of production?
WA
• The gross value of Australian cattle and calf production (including
4% live cattle exports) is estimated at $7.4 billion (ABARES 2012-13).
SA
5% • Cattle contributed 16% of the total farm value of $47.3 billion in
2011-12 (ABARES Agricultural Commodities June 2013).
Queensland
50% • The direct contribution of beef and live cattle to gross domestic
Source: ABS
product was approximately 1% in 2012-13.
Domestic value and consumption:
Australian lotfed cattle marketings
2.6 million head (2012-13) • Domestic expenditure on beef was approximately $6.6 billion in
2012-13 (MLA estimate).
Victoria
5% NSW • Australians ate around 32.5kg of beef per person in 2012-13
25%
(MLA estimate).
• Around 94% of Australian fresh meat buyers purchased beef in
2012-13 (AC Nielsen Homescan).
WA
4% • In volume terms, beef is the second most popular fresh meat
SA
4% consumed through the foodservice industry after chicken
(BIS Shrapnel).
Queensland
62%
Source: ALFA/MLA
 fast facts 2013
Australian beef exports Australia’s beef industry
1,013,878 tonnes swt (2012-13)

Taiwan Export value and volume:

4% Korea
14% • In 2012-13, Australia exported 67% of its total beef and veal
Chile production to over 100 countries (DAFF/ABS).
Japan 1%
29% • The value of total beef and veal exports in 2012-13 was $5.06 billion
(ABS).
other
24% • Australian live cattle exports were valued at $590 million in 2012-13
(ABS).
Philippines
3% • The beef industry (including live cattle) contributes 13% to the
Russia
USA 2% total farm export value of $40 billion (FOB) (ABARES Agricultural
20% Indonesia Commodities June 2013).
3%
Source: DAFF
Australia’s place in the world:
Australian live cattle exports
633,463 head (2012-13)
• Australia has 3% of the world cattle inventory, with India, Brazil and
China taking the top three places (USDA 2012).
Indonesia Turkey
43% 6% • Australia produces 4% of the world’s beef supply, and is the third
largest beef exporter in the world (USDA 2012).

other
20% Top ten beef producing countries

Russia
Pakistan

Russia Mexico
China 6% Australia
7% Israel Philippines Argentina
10% Eygpt 6%
2% India
Source: DAFF
China

Contact EU-27
Brazil
Market Information USA
Meat & Livestock Australia
0 2 4 6 8 10 12
Ph: 02 9463 9163
million tonnes cwt
Fax: 02 9463 9220 Source: USDA 2012
Email: marketinfo@mla.com.au
Top ten world beef exporters

Mexico
Paraguay
EU-27
Canada
Level 1, 40 Mount Street,
Uruguay
North Sydney NSW 2060
New Zealand
Ph: 02 9463 9333
Fax: 02 9463 9393 USA
www.mla.com.au Australia

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© Meat & Livestock Australia Limited 2013 '000 tonnes cwt Source: USDA 2012
ISSN 1837-4689

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