CHINA and South-East Asia could emerge as Australia's biggest customer for lamb by the end of the year.
So rapid has the region developed a taste for Australian lamb that it has surged to second on the export destination list.
South-East Asia and the Greater China region imported 32,629 tonnes of lamb to the end of October - up from just 9856 tonnes a decade ago - making it Australia's second-biggest customer. And it is closing fast on Australia's No.1 lamb market - North America.
The US, Canada and Mexico imported only 353 tonnes more lamb than Greater China and South-East Asia during the first 10 months of the year.
In October, more than 3000 tonnes were sent to Asia, boosted by big orders for lamb carcasses and shoulders to Malaysia.
And Meat and Livestock Australia believes with increased lamb supply, and demand expected to rise over the northern hemisphere winter, export levels could break records.
Most lamb going to Greater China and South-East Asia is breast, flap and manufacturing lamb, which accounts for 67 per cent of the total. Another 13 per cent was lamb shoulders, which mainly went to Malaysia which is in the top two markets worldwide for Australian lamb shoulders.
MLA South-East Asian regional manager Aaron Iori said the market in China was growing quickly, as consumers overcame their preconceptions of lamb.
"Lamb was somewhat taboo as people associated its taste and flavour with mutton," Mr Iori said.
"But our lamb, which is seen as a premium product and safe, is now very much in vogue, especially in hot pot restaurants."
He said restaurants offering lamb hot pots often had queues of people wiating for three hours.
He said the large labour force in China meant importers could buy lower-value cuts and bone it out.
