Australia’s beef exports continued to climb in 2025, with the full-year total expected to set a new record. According to the latest data from the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF), total chilled and frozen beef exports in August reached 135,570 tons, marking the second-highest monthly volume on record, just below July’s 150,000 tons.
Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA), in its latest forecast, projects that Australia’s beef exports in 2025 could reach 1.5 million tons (shipment weight). Key drivers include tight global supply, the U.S. entering a restocking phase, and Brazil facing export constraints due to large-scale slaughtering, drought, and tariff barriers. Domestically, Australia’s slaughter volume is expected to grow 8.6% to 9.02 million head, supported by stable cattle supply and expanded processing capacity.
Export growth is broad-based rather than reliant on a single market. The four main destinations—United States, China, Japan, and South Korea—all showed robust performance, while smaller markets such as Indonesia and Canada also recorded growth.
China’s market stood out: August exports to China totaled 22,373 tons, down 22% month-on-month but up 47% year-on-year, marking the seventh consecutive month since February with monthly shipments exceeding 20,000 tons. Year-to-date through August, exports to China reached 182,507 tons, up 51% compared with the same period last year.