Jon Condon

Brisbane

Publisher at Beef Central

Agricultural journalist specialising in the Australian and global beef industry for the past 33 years

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Articles

Australian beef faces triggering of China’s Safeguard tariff in coming months

1 week ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

VIGOROUS beef export sales into China in recent months has elevated the likelihood of Australia triggering its 2025 Safeguard tariff mechanism for the market, as early as late July or August. The Safeguard tariff is a mechanism used in a number of Australian beef importing countries where free trade agreements apply, including Korea, the United States and China. It is designed to help protect the local cattle industries from unusually large rises in imports, year-to-year.
Red meat export demand pressure beginning to show on domestic retail shelves

1 week ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

STRONG beef and lamb export demand pressure is starting to show up in Australian domestic supermarket shelves, delegates attending last week’s Meat Business Women Conference in Brisbane heard. Consumer sector analyst Garth Francis from MST Marquee unpacked how the Australian retail environment had been impacted over the past few years since COVID, and how that might affect the red meat industry moving forward.
Weekly kill: Growth in grainfed slaughter is a factor in limiting kill access for other cattle

1 week ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

RAIN in some parts of southern Australia has impacted rates of slaughter and saleyards numbers over the past week, however there’s been little change in direct consignment grid prices, with plenty of paddock cattle still being presented. Most physical sales held early this week had smaller or rain-affected yardings, with prices for most processor cattle rising in line with tighter supply.
Beef producers’ share of retail dollar edges higher in March quarter

2 weeks ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

THE Australian beef producers’ share of retail dollar spend on beef has moved a little higher over the past three months. The recent release of March quarterly Consumer Price Index data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics provides the opportunity to update the quarterly producer share of retail dollar calculation (see details below) published jointly by analysts Episode3 and Beef Central.
$58.4m operating profit for AA Co, despite tough trading environment

2 weeks ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

DESPITE tough global meat trading conditions, the Australian Agricultural Co delivered its third consecutive operating profit above $50 million in annual results presented this morning. The company’s 2024-25 result displayed considerable resilience against the international meat market backdrop, with increased meat sales volumes and price helping drive the performance. Operating profit for the year ended 31 March reached $58.4 million, up $7.3m on the prior year.
Shanghai food trade show’s strong vibe signals busy times for Aussie beef

2 weeks ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

IF the buzz around the SIAL Food Trade Show being staged in Shanghai this morning was anything to go by, Aussie beef is in for a busy time through the middle and later stages of 2025. Momentum has grown in Australian beef trade into China this year with calendar year to April figures up 27 percent on last year, at 78,000 tonnes. Tariff and registration access challenges for US exporters since early April have only sharpened Chinese customer interest in Aussie beef and lamb this year.
Weekly kill: Most grids steady, but supply pressure continues

2 weeks ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

THERE’S been only a few changes in direct consignment slaughter cattle pricing over the past week, following a series of earlier downward corrections. Heavy supply continues to dominate discussions, with most Queensland export processors now booked well into June, and even into July in some regions. Most are offering space bookings only for the time being, preferring to negotiate on price closer to the slaughter date.
World’s largest beef brand program CAB a ‘47-year overnight success’

3 weeks ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

JUST one raised hand around a boardroom table could have forever changed the course of destiny for the world’s largest and most successful beef brand. The Certified Angus Beef program has grown from the humblest of beginnings to become a United States red meat marketing colossus over the last half century, but as Angus industry stakeholders heard during last week’s World Angus forum in Brisbane, it hasn’t always been easy.
Woolworths cuts prices on 400 ‘essentials’, but red meat barely represented

3 weeks ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

National supermarket retailer Woolworths has lowered prices on 400 ‘essential and favourite’ items from today, effective until the end of the year. The company says the campaign is designed to “deliver more value for customers every time they shop.”Woolworths shelf prices of products on the list have fallen by an average of ten percent, it said in a statement.
Current record global beef prices “just the start of the journey”: Quilty

3 weeks ago | beefcentral.com | Jon Condon

Current record-high global beef prices are “just the start of the journey” for the Australian beef industry over the next year or two, analyst Simon Quilty told an audience of Angus industry stakeholders in Brisbane last week.