AUSTRALIA'S live export industry was worth $1 billion last year, despite tumultuous trading conditions,
Sheep, cattle and goat shipments from Australia returned $1.012 billion, breaking the $1 billion-mark for the second year running.
While the total number of cattle exported dipped 9 per cent to 873,573 head, the value was up $17 million to $679 million - the industry's best earnings to date.
However, exports to Indonesia, one of Australia's key markets, were down 33 per cent, to 520,987 following the introduction of a 350kg-weight restriction and disrupted trade due to reduced permit allocations during the second half of the year.
Meat and Livestock Australia livestock exports manager Michael Finucan said the introduction of quarterly permits would improve access to Indonesia for live exporters this year.
"To have a record live cattle trade value in 2010 when exports to Indonesia were substantially restricted was a particularly good result for the industry".
"We're still seeing some market access issues for Indonesia - they've set imports at 500,000 head for the year, which is down on last year, but quarterly permits give us some certainty about the numbers we can send each month," Mr Finucan said.
Some graziers in northern Australia will struggle to keep livestock under the weight restriction in the best season for decades and would instead take cattle through to heavier weights for the domestic market, he said.
"People will have to manage their turn off and production to ensure they stay within the specifications," Mr Finucan said.
Exports to the Middle East jumped 134 per cent last year to 226,547 following the reopening of the Egypt trade and establishment of the cattle trade to Turkey which accounted for 56,441 and 66,002 head respectively.
Live sheep exports were down 17 per cent to about 2.978 million due to supply shortages, especially in drought-ravaged Western Australia, but value remained firm at $323 million.
Kuwait and Bahrain were the largest markets.
