Lamb exports in August fell greater than 23% from the earlier month and had been 14% under the five-year common for the month. It was the primary month this 12 months volumes had fallen under the short-term common, and it was additionally almost 8,000 tonnes decrease year-on-year. 12 months-to-date, lamb exports are 12% behind the identical time final 12 months however nonetheless sit about 9% above the five-year determine for a similar interval.
The US remained Australia’s largest lamb buyer, and August volumes sat marginally above the common determine for that month. Nonetheless, now we have to return to 2021 to search out an August the place much less Australian lamb was despatched to the US. Month-on-month, volumes dipped by almost 17%, whereas year-to-date 2025 now lags 4% behind 2024. China was the one main single-country market to extend its consumption of Australian lamb in August in comparison with each the earlier month and year-on-year, however volumes nonetheless sat under the five-year common. 12 months-to-date, Chinese language lamb imports from Australia are up 16% from 2024.
The Center East continued to lower lamb imports, taking simply 3,647 tonnes in August, the bottom month-to-month complete out of Australia since January 2023. Regional unrest might be impacting this, as may a scarcity of capacity to satisfy greater worth factors as Australian provide declined. 12 months-to-date, Center East lamb volumes are down 30%. The market’s consumption of mutton has additionally declined, albeit to a lesser extent, with volumes for the primary eight months of the 12 months 18% decrease than in 2024. Once more, now we have to return to early 2023 to discover a decrease month for mutton into the Center East.
Mutton exports total at the moment are 9% decrease for January–August than they had been final 12 months, with August volumes 3% under the short-term common. Volumes did rise from July, nevertheless, by about 8%. Earlier than final month, it had been precisely three years since we had seen a month-to-month export determine decrease than this one. Traditionally, in fact, volumes stay sturdy. The US recorded their greatest month-to-month consumption of Australian mutton for the 12 months in August, however this was nonetheless solely 6% of market share. China stays the biggest single-country market with 29%, however it was 2017 the final time their August consumption was decrease.
