Saudi Arabia remains Australia's largest meat export market, accounting for 30 percent of shipments to the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, followed by the UAE at 25 percent and Kuwait at 13 percent, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) reported recently.
Significant growth in beef exports was driven by a surge in shipments to Saudi Arabia as Australian beef gained market share after Brazil was banned from the market in late 2012.
Exports to Saudi Arabia totaled 18,944 tons shipped weight in 2012-13, up more than four-fold year-on-year, making Saudi Arabia Australia's largest beef market in the MENA region.
The Brazilian ban in Saudi Arabia has, however, increased competition in other beef markets in the region, with increased quantities of Brazilian beef entering Jordan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), MLA said.
MENA region continues to grow as an important market for Australian red meat exports with volumes for the 2012-13 financial year hitting 160, 963 tons shipped weight, an increase of 32 percent on the previous record set in 2011-12.
ifpinfo
15 July
