Queensland producers filling the Indo and Vietnam boats as the industry gets off to a slow start

This figure is down on the 102,000 exported in the first four months of last year, with 55,256 of the total to Indonesia this year being exported from Darwin and 24,156 from Port of Townsville.

With Queensland producers getting their first round of mustering completed ahead of their Northern Territory counterparts, exporters say that at least 60 percent of total export numbers to Indonesia from all ports involved cattle drawn from Queensland.

Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association president David Connolly said there were many factors at play as to why there has been such a slow start to the season.

He said Indonesia had difficulty with the cattle market last year and tried other options to feed its its population and ran the numbers down.

"All though there was still strong demand for beef, our market was very expensive for them, and not it certainly was not profitable for the exporters," Mr Connolly said.

He said now the market is back to $3.50c/kg to $3.70c/kg and it has got to a point where it is profitable again.

He said the Northern Territory producers have been late to the party this year, due to the prolong wet season.

"Many cattle producers have had to wait for country to dry out and they are now just getting their weaners off," he said.

"There is a lot of saleable cattle out there, its just things just have to dry out, and they will have more weight on them when they come onto the market."

Charters Towers livestock agent Liam Kirkwood, Ray White Geaney Kirkwood, said there have been several orders for Brahman steers and heifers for Indonesia in the 270kg to 370kg weight range in north Queensland, with a shipment leaving the Port of Townsville over the weekend.

He said there too, have been two Vietnam orders recently, which were for suitable slaughter steers and bulls sitting on $3.05c/kg.

Central Queensland agent Gavin Colwell, CQ Livestock and Property said that the live export market is a good market for agents to have as an available option.

"It certainly keeps a level playing field for everyone, because whoever wants the cattle has to pay for them," he said.

Mr Colwell said so far this year he would have sourced 1200 bullocks from clients bound for Vietnam.

"I have just consigned 18 decks to Julargo holding yards near Townsville, which we received $3.05c/kg," he said.

"The were part of a Frontiers specification order ranging from 480kg to 720kg. which we could offer out clients.

"Had I stood those bullocks up in the saleyards they would have made 260c/kg on today's market."

President of the Queensland Livestock Exporters Association Greg Pankhurst agreed trade was slow, but said there is still demand for beef in Indonesia.