Indonesia consolidates its role as the engine of Australia's live cattle export trade

Indonesia’s status as a powerhouse market for Australian export cattle has risen to even greater heights in 2025, taking almost three quarters of shipped stock this calendar year, Beef Cetral said.

From January to November cattle exports to Indonesia totaled 510,565 head, according to latest DAFF data, accounting for 72 percent of the year-to-date total of 706,128 cattle shipped from Australia.

From a monthly average of 45,000 head through January to October, export volumes to Indonesia surged to 65,163 head in November.

An estimated 30,000 cattle may have already left so far this month and a final flurry of shipments through until December 31 under 2025 permits could see final numbers to Indonesia for the calendar year rise above 580,000 – a volume not reached since the high turnoff drought year of 2019.

At the start of the year, export feeder steers stepping onto boats in Darwin were priced at A$/kg 3.55 liveweight. But as orders began to flow for the end of year shipments, prices jumped by almost 100 cents from mid-September to mid-October, with current pricing at A$ 4.55, and reports of some orders stretching out to A$ 4.70 (US$ 3,15) for top-up consignments.

Meanwhile, Vietnam has been largely sidelined this year due to price sensitivity. Strong buying competition from southern processors and Queensland processors sourcing cattle in northern regions has pushed prices beyond Vietnam’s buying range.

Shipments to Vietnam have totaled 81,625 head so far this year, furthering a rate of annual decline from an upper level of almost 300,000 in 2020.