Global demand for grainfed beef climbs

Last month, Australian beef exports reached a new April record as grainfed exports reached a record. Grainfed exports rose 27% YoY to 37,037 tons – the largest monthly volume figure on record, MLA said. Grainfed supply has been steadily building over decades, with numbers on feed routinely breaking records and turn-off continuing to rise over time. This has been reflected in export volumes, which have steadily risen as the sector has grown.

At the same time, strong demand from a range of markets has continued to power the sector. In late 2024, China emerged as the largest market for Australian grainfed beef. This continued to hold true in April 2025 with exports rising 62% to 12,151 tons. Japan has been a consistently large market over a long period and saw a slight 8% ease in exports to 9,918 tons. Exports to South Korea lifted 46% YoY to 6,882 tons.