Demand for Australian lamb grows

Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) has said that American demand for Australian lamb has risen significantly since December.

- Staff reporter

“Just before Christmas, frozen lamb leg prices averaged A$9,09/kg (about R110/kg) wholesale, and since then have lifted a remarkable 61% to A$14,67/kg (R178/kg).”

While local factors tend to have the strongest impact on prices on a weekly basis, according to the MLA, demand-side factors often drive prices up over the longer term.

This is evident in the prices of US lamb. “Prices for both US lamb imports and the Heavy Lamb Indicator began to fall in December 2022 and continued sliding throughout most of 2023.