GOAT prices remain a steady upward trajectory, with over-the-hook indicators on the increase since 2013.
According to Meat and Livestock Australia in the last 12 months alone, the 12.1-16kg carcase weight over-the-hook goat indicator has jumped 101c. That indicator has gone from an average of 511c/kg carcase weight (cwt) in January 2016, to 612c in January 2017. Top quotes are hitting 700c.
“As the supply of goats in Australia is very volatile on a month-to-month basis, due to rangeland goat harvest being largely weather dependent, the continual rise in prices clearly demonstrates strengthening demand for Australian goatmeat,” the latest MLA Market News reports.
“Below average rainfall across much of southern and eastern Australia in the last month of spring saw national goat slaughter reach 204,169 head in November – 20 per cent higher than the same time last year.
“This was driven largely by a surge in goats processed in Victoria, up 47pc to 120,428 head, and a 21pc jump in South Australia, to 28,626 head.
“These southern states, along with a 10pc rise in the Western Australian goat slaughter (9325 head), more than offset declines registered in Queensland and NSW in November – down 19pc and 6pc, to 38,473 head and 7312 head, respectively.”
According to MLA this brought the year-to-November national goat slaughter total to 1.74 million head – 9pc lower than the previous year.
According to MLA the volume of goatmeat produced for the month increased to a greater extent than slaughter, up 28pc year-on-year to 3481 tonnes cwt – indicative of heavier carcases being processed. This was in fact the largest production month since October 2015. For the January to November period, goatmeat production was 7pc lower than the year before, at 27,122t cwt.
So far in the New Year, MLA’s NLRS reported eastern states goat slaughter has averaged almost 33,700 head a week for January-to-date. This is 16pc lower than the January 2016 average of just over 39,900 head a week.