Beef exports have had a record season hitting the $3 billion mark says Statistics New Zealand.
Beef cattle in Rangiwahia, Manawatu. Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
Beef exports continued to rise and were up 46 percent or $61 million in August 2015 compared with the same month last year.
The beef export season runs from 1 October to 30 September and statistics senior manager Jason Attewell said with one month to go the exports had reached the high.
Mr Attewell said so far this season, just over 400,000 tonnes of beef had been exported.
He said if at least 18,000 tonnes of beef is exported next month then the record for quantity exported will be broken.
Mr Attewell said the United States remained the top beef export destination this season, for both value and quantity.
Beef export values to the US have hit a record high of $1.6 billion - up 64 percent - for the season to date, with quantities up 21 percent compared with this time last year.
Beef export values to China continued to increase, up 88 percent for the season to date, to $394 million, with quantities up 52 percent compared with this time last year.
Mr Attewell said international shortages, rising production, and a falling New Zealand dollar had contributed to this record beef season.
