Australian beef imports post 21% growth in H1

MANILA, Philippines - Beef imports to the Philippines coming from Australia rose 21 percent to 18 tons in the first half of this year from 14 tons in the same period last year,  according to Peter Paul Perez, Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) country manager for the Philippines.

Perez said the value of Australian beef imports grew  49 percent on account of stronger demand from both consumer and food service sectors, complementing the regular demand of food manufacturers. Other red meat from Australia also posted positive growth.

“Goat meat from Australia is now offered in major local supermarkets, from carcass to prime cuts,” he said. “Australia is also the market leader in lamb meat, with over 90 percent in market share,” he said.   

Australia is an established and reliable source of beef, lamb and goat meat worldwide. Healthy livestock accounts for Australia’s high productivity.

“There’s no better place to raise beef and lamb,” Perez said, adding, “Australia’s unique climate and environment allow animals to live in their natural state all year round and enables consistent supply. The remoteness of livestock farms in Australia offer natural protection from disease. It’s an island continent with wide open spaces and this natural environment enables sustainable production.”

True to the quality and integrity of Australian farming, MLA is introducing a new seal or mark that will now become the consistent country of origin endorsement for Australian Red Meat products in worldwide markets.  

This mark of trust, called “True Aussie,” represents Australia’s authentic natural environment which makes it the ideal home for raising livestock that is managed by trusted partners. 

According to Perez, the “True Aussie” mark of trust recognizes all the strict quarantine regulations and several measures which are all in place to ensure the safety and quality of Australian red meat.

“The Australian red meat industry is built on the highest safety standards,” he said. “Integrity systems such as Livestock Production Assurance (LPA), the National feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) and the National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) have been in place in Australia for years to verify and ensure food safety and quality along the supply chain,” Perez said.

NFAS is an initiative designed to ensure product quality and integrity in beef feedlots. It covers a wide range of environmental, animal welfare, veterinary practices and, feed ingredients and residues standards.

The NLIS is a traceability system to document the movement of cattle, sheep and goats and provides assurance of product integrity, safety and market eligibility.