Freight and food service woes impact sheepmeat exports

Lambs running in paddock

Australian sheepmeat exports were looking relatively unscathed by the pandemic disruption, that was until May. Trade flows to all key export markets saw significant reductions with freight issues, food service shutdowns and local tight supply all contributing. Figure 1 highlights the total flow of Australian lamb for the start of the 2020 season compared to […]

Long term detrended, deflated Merino prices

Flock of sheep in distance on green paddock

Historic prices are often used to gain some perspective on current price levels. However, through history, different factors influence commodity prices. This article takes a look at the average Merino micron price through the past 60 years and some of the key factors influencing price levels. A challenge with historical price data is the effect […]

Harvest pressure still a thing

Keen wheat market observers would be aware of the slippery slope prices have been on in recent times. With the good start to the season in Australia and solid prospects for the crop, the market is now very much linked to a falling US market coming under harvest pressure. Harvest pressure from the US is […]

Just where is the beef going?

Cattle in a yard

A couple of weeks ago we looked at some of the data coming through for April and how the early COVID crisis impacted domestic beef consumption and price. This analysis engendered a query from a subscriber as to where our major markets are now, and whether the Chinese suspension of some plants is impacting export […]