Towers yards busy as multiple live export boats fill fast

The first of five live export shipments to Indonesia and Vietnam will depart Townsville this week with exporters booking up fast.

Medium feeder steers from Charters Towers and Townsville areas are expected to depart to Indonesia on Wednesday February 28, for the first live export shipment of the year, with a second shipment later in the week.

With a lift in cattle prices and a later release of permits, Nutrien Charters Towers divisional live export coordinator Tony Bowen said cattle were moving through Charters Towers saleyards swiftly.

"Five boats are booked up to the middle of March with the first three in quick succession. Once permits were released on Friday (February 16), there was a quick succession of orders and exporters wanting to get into it," Mr Bowen said.

Mr Bowen said boat orders were for cattle with a bit more weight, issuing orders for medium feeder cattle between 380-480kg, over feeders (280-380kg).

"The ratio has definitely changed from about June last year, when they were wanting 70-80 pc feeders and a handful of mediums, where as these orders are wanting more mediums and less feeders, which I assume is to feed a bit of backlog after having no permits through January," he said.

"We are currently delivering cattle for this first order now which will leave next week and we have cattle arriving today (February 22) for the boat in the first week of March, and they will keep rolling on."

Live export prices have increased on 2023, with Indonesian medium steers currently paying 310c/kg and Indonesian feeder steers paying 330c/kg out of Townsville.

Mr Bowen said some producers had held onto stock at the end of 2023 due to the low prices.

"There is always a certain amount of people who have cattle put away to go at this time of year. But there was a percentage of people who decided not to sell as they usually would have... due to the fact that prices weren't that brilliant late last year.

"Some people have held them over, so those cattle are ready to go and the cattle are significantly better than last year.

"The initial demand out of Indonesia is promising and that should continue through for the foreseeable future."

Wet weather has seen the majority of yarding drawn from the Charters Towers and Townsville areas, as parts of the north remain wet.

"These first few shipments have come from our traditional areas of Charters Towers and Townsville live export, from Townsville through to Mount Isa.

"There are a few spots across the region that are still too wet. Some places from the north west we probably won't see until Easter, but we are seeing some from Richmond and south of Hughenden compared to the likes of Kynuna."

With wet weather around, Charters Towers has only held two out of five sales so far this year.