Meat Goat Prices Easing in Australia

This article was sourced from an MLA report. Goat meat prices still remain at historically high levels however they have eased after strong demand in the second half of 2006. Weather plays a part in demand. Goat meat consumption in Australia’s two largest markets, the USA and Taiwan are directly affected by weather. If the winter is both cold and long then goat meat consumption also rises, and in warm winters it falls. The severe drought has played its part and supply has been reasonably good even though demand is subdued. The rangeland goats contribute some 90% of Australian goat meat production. These rangeland goats tend to come to water points when there is drought so capture is easy and this will alter with significant rainfall as they are harder to harvest and can find both water and good feed. This causes prices to increase. The significant rise in the Australian dollar against the US dollar will impact exports. Some 95% of goat meat production in Australia is exported and demand is still there but as a producer one wonders when the price threshold is reached where exports are affected. Current prices are forecast to be relatively subdued until the spring seasonal demand kicks in.