LAMB and beef exports produced near-record figures last year with a surge of 3 per cent.
Australia fell just short of sending more lamb overseas than consumed domestically.
The results are a stellar performance for the red meat industry, which achieved top-three finishes despite international economic turmoil, a high Australian dollar and natural disasters locally and overseas.
Lamb exports totalled 160,007 tonnes last year, or the third-highest export volume ever.
While the final production figures will not be compiled until next month, Meat and Livestock Australia believe Australia exported about 48.5 per cent of lamb production last year.
MLA sheepmeat analyst Robert Barker said this was the highest proportion of total lamb production exported to date.
"It is not the highest volume, which was in 2009, but is still the highest proportion of production exported, which has hovered between 44-46 per cent from 2005-2010," he said.
The Middle East was the major customer last year for the second year in a row, taking 34,987 tonnes, ahead of the US which imported 34,334 tonnes.
"The US remains the highest-value market, though, due to the larger proportion of higher-value cuts," Mr Barker said.
Other major importers also took more lamb, including lifts of 15 per cent to Greater China and 8 per cent to the European Union.
Smaller markets took more lamb as well, with Papua New Guinea up 12 per cent to 10,212 tonnes, and South-East Asia increasing its buy by 4 per ent to 9585 tonnes.
Mr Barker said the MLA expected increased lamb production and exports this year.
"Increased production is based on a larger annual slaughter, and continued strong overseas demand is likely to see exports continue to rise," he said.
On the beef front, Australian product increased its international stake by producing its third-best export performance to date.
The 949,195 tonnes exported last year was boosted by a late run to the line, with December figures setting a record volume of 82,054 tonnes.
Japan's imports took a hit of 4 per cent, and exports to the US were also down by 9 per cent.
South Korea was the big improver, with exports rising 18 per cent to 146,347 tonnes.
The MLA said smaller markets also took up the slack, including Russia, the Middle East and South-East Asia. All took more product.
A MLA spokesman said last year's growth in exports "reflected the very strong underlying global demand for Australian beef".
