The lack of demand for feeder cattle into South East Asia is starting to impact producers in the Northern Territory, with numbers down by more than 140,000 head the past financial year.Figures from the Port of Darwin report states that 236,550 livestock were exported during the 2022-23 financial year.
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It was well down on the 377,000 head a year average for the past decade.
Northern Territory livestock agent David O'Hara from NT Livestock and Property said he would currently have 5000 cattle for sale that he can't place in any market.
"These cattle would have normally been destined for export into South East Asia," he said.
Mr O'Hara said with the outbreak of foot and mouth disease, Indonesia killed a lot of the local cattle, and would still have some of its own beef, buffalo and chicken, in cold store.
"This trend has been falling since February, and there are a lot of cattle still in paddocks that are hard to sell," he said.
"There has been a small percentage that have gone south into the Queensland paddocks, but usually anything with a hump is not favoured down there."
The 2022-23 financial year ended with 3424 breeder heifers bound for Vietnam in the last week of June.
There have been news reports that Brazil is gearing up to ship cattle to Indonesia, but the obvious advantage for Australia is the distance to market.
It takes four days to ship cattle from Darwin to Jakarta compared to approximately 22 days from Brazil's Sao Sebastiao to Jakarta.
The livestock export trade looked a little brighter for the Port of Townsville after a lackluster financial year in 2021-22.
This financial year saw 74,458 cattle shipped through the port, which was an increase of 27 per cent on the previous 60,000 head, which was back as Indonesia recovered from post COVID, foot and mouth and lumpy skin outbreaks.
Ray White Geaney Kirkwood livestock agent Liam Kirkwood said there have been two livestock orders just completed to Indonesia from the Port of Townsville.
He said Frontier International managed the order which was assembled at the Dalrymple Saleyard's quarantine holding facility.
He said the money was $3.00 for steers and mickies and $2.40 for heifers.
Currently, Elders Charters Towers have an export order to Vietnam, with delivery to the Julago yards, south of Townsville, by the end of July.
Tom Kennedy of Elders said there would be two shipments to Vietnam, and one to Indonesia, during the month of July.
"Currently Vietnam is paying $2.70 liveweight for slaughter for six decks or more, and discounted back to $2.65 for mobs under six decks," he said.
He said preferred breeds were Brahman and Brahman cross, Droughtmaster, and Charbray.
"The slaughter bull order is for bulls 500 to 800 kg at 280c/kg." he said.
He said the Indonesia money would be around the $2.80 delivered Charters Towers.
"While we are not back to the heights of 2020, it is time to see some regularly," Mr Kennedy said.
"I really believe we have seen the bottom of the market, and now the pricing will remain firm."
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Helen Walker
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
Helen is the Toowoomba-based journalist who loves nothing better than covering anything horse sport related, however she covers all commodities and personality yarns. Over the years she has lived in Brisbane, Rockhampton, Longreach and Roma filing stories for the 'bible of the bush'. Contact 0459 827414.
