‘Record high’: Australian beef production jumps | Australian Markets

Australia’s beef production has soared to a report high in April regardless of US President Donald Trump singling out beef exporters during his reciprocal tariff speech.

New figures launched by the Meat and Livestock Australia international provide analyst Tim Jackson reveals Australian beef exports continued to rise final month.

According to the figures beef exports for the month of April got here in at 127,172 tonnes, up 21 per cent in comparison with this time final 12 months.

North America remained the biggest market, with exports to the United States rising 37 per cent year-on-year to 37,213 tonnes and exports to Canada rising 40 per cent to three.322 tonnes.

Grain-fed beef exports additionally shot up 27 per cent year-on-year to 37,037 tonnes, specifically off the back of exports to China which soared 62 per cent to 12,151 tonnes in April.

The MLA mentioned the spike in gross sales in April follows a broader market pattern, which began previous to the Trump administrations tariff announcement.

“The spike in April 2025 is part of a broader trend following a record-breaking 2024, where Australia exported 2.24 million tonnes of red meat to 104 countries, the highest volume ever recorded,” the MLA mentioned in a assertion to NewsWire.

“April’s volumes reflect this continued momentum supported by mature cattle and sheep herds leading to increased slaughter and supply as well as favourable global conditions and demand.”

The general spike in gross sales comes regardless of Mr Trump announcement of wide-ranging tariffs on April 2, which he dubbed Liberation Day for the US geared toward leaving the enjoying discipline for American companies.

In a speech saying the tariffs, Australia’s beef exporters have been singled out.

“Australia bans – and they’re wonderful people, and wonderful everything – but they ban American beef,” President Trump mentioned.

“Yet we imported $3bn of Australian beef from them just last year alone.

“They won’t take any of our beef. They don’t want it because they don’t want it to affect their farmers. And you know, I don’t blame them, but we’re doing the same thing right now starting at midnight tonight.”

In a checklist of international locations, Australia was twenty first with a 10 per cent tariff on all items imported into the US.

Every nation was subjected to not less than a 10 per cent “base rate” tariff.

Mr Trump rapidly introduced a 90 day pause on reciprocal tariffs to permit negotiations resulting from fears the US was heading for a recession, though his administration stored the ten per cent base in place.

The MLA predicts the report high for beef gross sales will proceed all through 2025.

“MLA’s latest projections anticipate a 1 per cent increase in beef exports and a 13 per cent rise in mutton exports in 2025, despite a slight dip in lamb exports,” it mentioned.

“Global supply constraints, particularly in the US and New Zealand, are expected to persist, giving Australia a competitive edge.”

While beef gross sales stay robust, it wasn’t all good news for all Australia’s farmers.

Sheepmeat exports eased 3 per cent 12 months on 12 months. This was principally resulting from a 5 per cent 12 months on 12 months fall in mutton exports to 17,748 tonnes, whereas lamb exports fell 1 per cent to 31,143 tonnes.

Exports of Australian goatmeat fell 15 per cent 12 months on 12 months in April to 4,027 tonnes.

Despite this fall, this quantity remains to be the second-highest April quantity complete on report, and exports for the year-to-date are nonetheless comfortably the best on report.