Australia Yearbook - 2001

642 Year Book Australia 2001
Significant changes have taken place in the pig
meat producing industry in recent years. Capital
investment and corporate takeovers have seen
the emergence of a few large companies
producing a significant proportion of all pig meat
sold in Australia. These moves, on top of the
trend to more intensive and efficient production
techniques, have seen pig meat production rise
steadily since 1982 to reach a peak of 365,000
tonnes in 1994–95. After a decline in production
during 1995–96 and 1996–97, production of pig
meat increased again, reaching a record level of
370,000 tonnes in 1998–99.
Table 15.47 shows the gross value of livestock
slaughtering over recent years. The value of
slaughtering and other disposals dropped sharply
in 1995–96, primarily due to a drop in the value of
cattle and calves slaughtered. The value has
increased in each of the last three years, with
1998–99 showing a 5% increase over 1997–98.
The biggest customers for Australian beef in
recent years have been Japan, the United States
and the Republic of Korea. In 1998–99 Japan
continued to be the main customer for Australian
beef with 333,000 tonnes purchased, slightly
down on the previous year’s shipment. The
United States was Australia’s second biggest
customer with 305,000 tonnes purchased, up 21%
from the previous year. The Republic of Korea
was the third largest importer of Australian beef,
purchasing 79,000 tonnes.
Table 15.48 shows the volume of exports of fresh,
chilled or frozen meat. Beef is the major meat
export. Bone-out beef was the major commodity
exported, increasing by 5% to 837,000 tonnes in
1998–99. Pork exports rose by 34% to 16,500
tonnes, but are still one of the smaller export
items.
Table 15.49 shows the number, gross weight,
gross value and unit value of live sheep and cattle
exports. While the number of live sheep exports
fell marginally in 1998–99, average unit value fell
by 6% to $36.64. As a result gross value also fell
6% to $181.7m. The number of live cattle
exported in 1998–99 increased by 3% to 713,000;
gross weight and gross value increased by similar
proportions.
Beef
Veal
15.45 PRODUCTION OF MEAT(a)
Carcass weight
Mutton
Lamb
Pig meat
Total meat
Total all
chickens
Dressed weight(b)(c)
Total
poultry(d)
Year
’000 t ’000 t ’000 t ’000 t ’000 t ’000 t
’000 t ’000 t
1993–94 1 786 39 381 267 357 2 830 469 500
1994–95 1 766 38 354 268 365 2 791 467 499
1995–96 1 711 34 310 265 347 2 667 481 516
1996–97 1 772 38 296 270 336 2 712 488 524
1997–98 1 911 44 333 284 358 2 930 550 587
1998–99 1 973 38 302 312 370 2 994 564 607
(a) Excludes offal. (b) Excludes Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory. (c) Dressed weight of whole
birds, pieces and giblets. (d) Includes other fowls, turkeys, ducks and drakes.
Source: Unpublished data, Livestock Products Collection.
15.46 LIVESTOCK AND POULTRY SLAUGHTERED FOR HUMAN CONSUMPTION
Cattle
Calves
Sheep
Lambs
Year
mill. head mill. head mill. head mill. head mill. head mill. head mill. head mill. head
1993–94 7.3 1.0 17.8 15.0 5.2 329.5 8.0 2.5
1994–95 7.2 1.0 17.5 15.3 5.1 330.5 8.7 2.3
1995–96 6.9 1.0 14.6 14.2 4.8 336.4 9.6 2.6
1996–97 7.3 1.1 14.4 14.6 4.8 340.9 10.0 3.1
1997–98 8.1 1.3 16.3 15.0 5.1 364.2 10.7 2.9
1998–99 7.9 1.2 14.4 16.1 5.2 375.0 10.2 3.5
Pigs
Chickens(a)(b)
Other fowls(c)
and turkeys(b)
(a) Comprises broilers, fryers and roasters. (b) Excludes Tasmania, the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital Territory.
(c) Comprises hens, roosters, etc.
Source: Livestock Products, Australia (7215.0).
Ducks and
drakes(b)