Fed: Winter lamb roast set to be an expensive pleasure

AAP General News (Australia)
04-16-2005
Fed: Winter lamb roast set to be an expensive pleasure

By Shane Wright

CANBERRA, April 16 AAP - The warming winter lamb roast could be pricey this year with
warnings spreading dry conditions could push up the cost of Australia's favourite meat
cuts.

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) said rain was urgently needed across Queensland,
NSW, Victoria and South Australia to stave off a shortfall in prime lambs and quality
cattle.

It said the situation was most dire for lamb producers, with farmers likely to be forced
to sell their animals in coming weeks.

"This would be followed by a major fall in lambs available, and sharp rise in prices,
from June to August," it warned.

It would be a blow to lamb producers that benefited from reasonable conditions late last year.

"Lamb numbers on farm are currently well above recent seasons, following a better breeding
season last year and the holding over of lambs from spring," it said.

"However, rain is now desperately needed across eastern Australia to prevent a repeat
of the last two seasons, when producers were forced to offload extra lambs in autumn,
causing a severe shortage in winter."

The cattle market is being hit by strong demand from Japan, where the United States
is barred because of ongoing concerns over mad cow disease, and possible shortages of
grain.

Prices for cattle are starting to fall now as farmers, unable to feed their animals, sell off.

This could result in a price rise during the winter months as supermarkets and butchers
struggle to find quality cattle.

"Prime conditioned young cattle have become harder to source in recent weeks, with
many displaying the effects of the worsening season," MLA said.

Butchers are reporting now that demand for traditional winter cuts is starting to increase,
while people drop away from barbecue cuts.

"Demand for roasts and casserole cuts (has) increased, as the weather cools and there
are less daylight hours," it said.

Some of the pressure on beef supplies is likely to be due to the continuing strong
demand from both South Korea and Japan.

Chilled beef exports to South Korea hit a record 10,100 tonnes in March, seven per
cent higher than March 2004.

Mutton exports are also up, hitting 37,800 tonnes for the first three months of the
year, six per cent higher than for the same period last year.

To cap it off, offal export prices continuing to climb while Australian goat meat exports
hit a record 5,410 tonnes for the first three months of the year.

AAP sw/arb Z

KEYWORD: DROUGHT

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