Mid May-2013

Again more small lifts in beef schedules, but processors still report sluggish overseas markets as processing volumes especially in the north slow further.

In Australia beef producers are under real pressure as record kills of animals out of the dry areas, coupled with the restrictions placed on the live export trade, sees farmers pleading for  government assistance to stay viable.

The store cattle market in many saleyards has been difficult as lighter poorer condition animals failed to find new owners and some animals selling under meat value. Every sale is being driven by feed and with little spare supplements about, farmers are culling older animals before winter.

A PGP project that aims to create a new category of NZ beef with marbled grass fed product using Wagyu genes and an integrated supply chain has started, and aims to return $6/kg for the beef.

For weekly P2 Steer schedules for NZ, NI and SI CLICK HERE

The Export Trend this week is rising for Bull (374) and  for Prime grades (387c). These values are now equal to a similar date last year for Bulls and 17c ahead for Steers.

CLICK HERE for Charts of saleyard prime steers.

No changes in prime saleyards steers which lifted in the north on the back of a shortage of quality animals but are still lack lustre in the south.

The exchange rate has weakened to 82c against the US$ on the back of comments by the Governor of the Reserve bank that they are trying to even out the peaks and troughs.

Local trade schedule prices have risen again to 390-425c/kg  with the south following  the recent supply driven northern price rises.

Mid season outlook 2012/2013 Click here>>>

for more trend graphs, see

- lamb
- beef
- deer
- velvet

for more perspectives, see

- Exchange rates
- Commodity prices
- Farm cost indexes
- Interest rate trends
- Rural credit aggregates
- Farm sales activity
- International dairy price