ANALYSIS: New Zealand's Q3 2026 Beef Exports Reach Highest Third-Quarter Level Since 2023

New Zealand's beef exports rose 11.8% year-on-year (YOY) to 103,149 MT in Q3 2026, marking the strongest July-September period since 2023, according to the latest Stats NZ data.

Despite the annual increase, exports fell 33.4% quarter-on-quarter (QOQ) from 154,778 MT in Q2, reflecting the seasonal slowdown in cattle processing. Q3 was nevertheless the fourth-largest third quarter in the Stats NZ series dating back to 2010.

The United States (US) remained New Zealand's largest quarterly destination at 34,720 MT, up 12.1% YOY, while exports to China climbed 15.4% to 28,837 MT. The US share of exports...

ANALYSIS: China's Q3 2026 Meat Imports Slide as Beef Safeguards Bite, September Volumes Slow Further

China's meat imports weakened through the third quarter, with total meat and offal volumes reaching approximately 1.33 million MT, down 15.9% year-on-year (YOY) (-251,512 MT) and 12.5% from the second quarter, according to preliminary data from the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC).

It was the weakest quarter since Q4 2025.

Monthly declines deepened from 12.4% YOY in July and 11.2% in August to 23.1% in September, leaving cumulative year-to-date (YTD) volumes of approximately 4.44 million MT down 7.2% YOY, compared with a 3.0% deficit at the end of June...

ANALYSIS: Australia’s May 2026 Beef Exports Smash Records Before Safeguard Windows Slam Shut

Australia’s outbound beef shipping momentum shattered all historical precedents in May 2026, with total export volumes skyrocketing to an all-time record high of 152,438 metric tons (MT), according to the latest trade data from Australia’s Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

This performance officially surpassed the previous all-time record high of 150,435 MT set in July 2025 by exactly 2,003 MT.

The DAFF figures showed that May volumes surged 8.2% month-on-month (MOM), adding an extra 11,495 MT over April's shipments...

Indonesian Market Opens Doors to Five More Australian Meat Exporters 

In a major win for the Australian agricultural sector, five meat export establishments have been granted approval to supply the Indonesian market, according to a statement released late on Friday by Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Julie Collins. 

As of 1 May 2026, the new listings include five beef facilities, with one also receiving approval for sheep and goat meat.  

Located across Queensland, Victoria, and Tasmania, these establishments were approved following extensive engagement between the Australian Government, industry, and Indonesian authorities...

ANALYSIS: Australia’s Mar 2026 Fever Pitch Beef Rush as China Safeguard Gap Narrows

Australia is on track to ship its largest monthly volume of beef to China on record this March, as exporters race against the clock to beat a looming safeguard quota.

According to the latest data from the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), cumulative monthly beef and veal exports to "Other Asia", a category dominated by China, reached 33,115 metric tons (MT) by March 23.

Based on the current pace of shipments, Expana’s in-house estimations put the final March figure at 45,533 MT...

ANALYSIS: Solid Start to 2026 as Australia’s January Beef Exports Soar

Australia kicks off 2026 with an in-month record January beef exports of 84,343 mt metric tons (mt), according to the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF).

January has historically been a softer month, with holiday closures and weather disruptions curbing export volumes. Lunar New Year preparations normally weigh on trade, but this year’s mid-February festivities pushed back logistical hurdles, leaving January’s decline milder than expected.

Outbound volumes fell 42.8% month-on-month (MOM) by 63,189 mt but rose 4.1% higher year-on-year (YOY)...