Some of the first orders for live export cattle out of Queensland in 2023 have been released.
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While demand for live-ex beef in South East Asia is forecast to remain challenging this year, as Indonesia and Vietnamese customers look to cheaper supply chains, it hasn't stopped agents from beginning the hunt for stock.
A live export order advertised last Friday, for delivery into Cloncurry in late January, expressed interest in high grade Brahman type cattle, with prices for feeder steers (280-380kg) at 390c/kg, medium steers (380-450kg) at 370c/kg, and feeder heifers (280-380kg) at 360c/kg.
Agora Livestock managing director and founder Rob Kelly said while the last few years had been tough for the industry, numbers were coming back into the market.
"I think given that we're seeing the prices coming out tells me that the buyers obviously think that there is stock there and should be available," Mr Kelly said.
As 2023 kicks off, domestic cattle prices still remain one of the key impacts to the export industry.
Queensland Live Export Association executive and director of Bondstock Rural Exports, Richard Bond, said demand from their Indonesian and Vietnamese customers remained "quite low".
"Vietnam continues to source cattle cheaper from neighbouring countries," he said.
"Currently, there is approximately 140,000 head of cattle on feed in Indonesia, which is a reasonably full number."
As to whether a fall in prices was expected to increase demand, Mr Bond said it would depend on a market downturn.
"If we are talking 20 per cent reduction in price from December, we may see some increased activity but our live export markets remain depressed and plagued with cheaper supply chains of cheap box meat," he said.
While most of northern Australia is currently impacted by monsoon rain and flooding, Mr Bond said there wouldn't be too much of an impact to live exports in Darwin and Kimberly region.
"The wet season seems to be upon us in a traditional timeframe so no surprises there," he said.
"The months of January and February are not great months to be trying to ship cattle most years.
"Darwin ports are open for business and there are cattle available ready to ship, import permits were slow coming out of the Indonesian ministry and have only just arrived."
Mr Bond said QLEA won't know the impact of the floods on the market until later in the year.
"Traditionally, Kimberly producers don't start offering any turnoff until after the wet season in around April or May," he said.