Tasmania Weather drives second driest April on record in NSW
tasmania weather has been overshadowed by Australia’s second driest April on record in New South Wales, where severe drought conditions in northern NSW and the Great Western Plains sparked a cattle sell-off in April. Retail expert Gary Mortimer said supermarket beef prices are likely to fluctuate in the coming weeks.
Mortimer said shoppers may first notice a drop in beef prices, but he described that fall as short-lived. As farmers rebuild stocks, he said prices can rise again after a lag, with beef reaching the market in a matter of weeks if it is sold domestically and not exported.
NSW drought and cattle sell-off
The dry conditions fell to levels not seen in almost 30 years, and saleyards have seen record numbers of livestock in recent weeks. Mortimer tied that supply surge to the price move, saying, “When you push a lot of products into a market, there's a lot of supply; therefore, prices fall.”
He added, “And then as farmers start to replenish their stocks, there’s a bit of a lag time, and that's where we start to see beef prices go up pretty high. Same as lamb prices.” He also said, “Beef is obviously a fresh product. You want to get that product into the market very quickly,” pointing to the short window between the sell-off and any rebound.
Meat and Livestock Australia
Meat and Livestock Australia said the surge in livestock supply could result in lower beef prices, but Scott Cameron said the impact on consumers should stay limited. He said, “Overall, consumers may see some variation in pricing, but not sharp or immediate shifts, given the broader strength of supply and demand.”
Cameron, MLA Group Manager, Insights and Strategy, also said, “For consumers, impacts are expected to be moderate and gradual as Australia continues to have a strong and reliable supply of red meat nationally and strong domestic and export demand continues to support the industry overall.”
He said the drought conditions were affecting only parts of NSW and were not a national issue, while MLA has forecast a decrease in lamb production this year. For shoppers, the immediate signal is a possible dip in beef prices, followed by a likely rebound once producers begin restocking and the extra cattle clear through the market.
