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The gross value of Australia's agriculture industry in 2001/2002 was A$38.4 billion with 65% allocated to exports. The major exports markets are South East Asia, Japan, USA, and the EU. Products include wool, beef, wheat, cotton, sugar, and wine. For Australia there have been significant changes over time in markets and production arrangements in the international arena. This is also true of the domestic market especially in the area of meat products. Australians, once dominant red meat eaters, have now ‘gone chicken.’ The total yearly consumption of meats averages around 110 kg per person. Beef up until recent years has always been the dominant player. However, in the last 30 years chicken consumption has risen from being a marginal food item to being a product that is expected to eclipse beef consumption in the very near future. This paper explores the trends and examines the changes as they are reflected by the behaviour of consumers and market chain drivers. The paper provides suggestions that could he gainfully employed at the consumer behaviour levels for other meat producers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aims of this paper are to examine the constraints and potentials for Australian beef industry on world export markets, and to identify the implications for other beef exporting countries. The survey of beef export constraints suggested that the effect of world beef price and cost of feed grains reduced beef export returns. The relative importance of these variables was tested using a linear regression model. The coefficients of these variables are statistically significant at 10 and 1 per cent levels, and the results suggest that world beef price and cost of feed grains are important determinants of Australian beef exports. The findings of this study also reveal that Australia is highly restricted in its access to world beef markets by the impact of rigid import controls, tariffs and other trade barriers including export subsidies provided by foreign countries for their own exports. Australia needs to give priority to diversification of export markets, particularly in the emerging markets in Africa, Asia, the Americas and the Middle East, where reduced tariff barriers are expected to improve market access. Australia also needs to increase productivity, improve cost efficiency, and undertake market research and promotion in order to be more competitive in the long run and to capture a sizeable market share from its major competitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Australian exports of meat account for about 46 per cent of the total Australian production of meat, and 19 per cent of total world exports of meat. About 52 and 33 per cent of Australian meat exports are sold on Asian and the American markets, respectively. However, Australia is highly restricted in its access to world meat markets by the impact of export subsidies and other trade barriers. The economic and political problems including rigid import controls are barriers to maintaining export sales on some of Australia's traditional Asian markets. The improvement in tariff barriers in Asia, the Americas and other emerging markets is expected to provide improved market access and opportunities for Australian meat. Higher processing and transportation costs beyond the farm gate also contribute to Australia's less competitiveness on world export markets. Australia should, therefore, implement appropriate measures to increase productivity, improve cost efficiency beyond the farm gate and undertake market research and promotion in order to be more competitive in the long run and to capture a sizeable market share from its major global competitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]