Australia exported 128,836 tonnes of beef in October 2026. The total fell 3 per cent from September and 8 per cent from October last year, according to DAFF trade data reported by Beef Central. Exports for the first ten months reached 1.338 million tonnes. The total sits 71,000 tonnes ahead of the same period in 2025. At the end of September, the lead stood at 82,000 tonnes, so October cut it by 11,000 tonnes.
The US kept buying at record pace. Japan slowed. China stayed well below last year under a 55 per cent tariff. Rain also cut the national kill late in the month. This roundup gives you the figures for each market and the dates to watch before Christmas. For more trade news, go to the Cattle News hub.
October beef exports at a glance
The table sets October against September. Beef Central published both sets of figures from monthly DAFF data. The year to date column covers January to October.
| Market | October (t) | September (t) | Year to date (t) |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 42,981 | 43,479 | 421,565 |
| Japan | 22,796 | 27,107 | 226,108 |
| South Korea | 17,239 | 17,927 | 223,916 |
| China | 10,852 | 7,778 | 173,800 |
| Canada | 6,323 | 6,873 | 49,423 |
| Middle East | 5,420 | 6,112 | 40,887 |
| Indonesia | 2,754 | 3,008 | 29,200 |
| United Kingdom | 1,490 | 1,476 | 17,583 |
| All markets | 128,836 | 132,146 | 1.338 million |
The Japan figure adds the October shipment to the nine-month total Beef Central published in September. The Beef Central October report differs from its September report on some monthly moves. We use the tonnes each report printed and worked out the changes from those.
United States: one third of all shipments
The US took 42,981 tonnes in October. The US share equals one third of everything Australia shipped. The volume sits close to September and 3 per cent above October last year.
The ten-month US total of 421,565 tonnes rose 51,200 tonnes, or 14 per cent. Beef Central calls it the largest ten-month tally on record.
Watch the US lean beef quota. In August, the US president announced tariff free access for 300,000 tonnes of lean grinding beef over three months. Most of the access suits Brazil. Beef Central reported the first 100,000 tonne tranche was only 37.5 per cent filled by 28 September. It also found little sign of any effect on Australian lean trimmings at the time.
Frozen boneless beef made up 32,600 tonnes of the September US total, or 75 per cent. Your cull cows and manufacturing cattle feed this trade. Ask your processor how US lean demand shapes the price on your grid. To see how demand reaches the price you get, read how cattle prices are set in Australia.
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Japan and South Korea: two markets, two directions
Japan
Japan took 22,796 tonnes, down 4,300 tonnes or 16 per cent on September. The figure also sits 15 per cent below October last year. The year to date total of about 226,000 tonnes still runs 7 per cent ahead.
Japan had a strong run through the first nine months, up 11 per cent. The October drop trimmed the lead. One month does not set a trend, so watch the November figure.
South Korea
South Korea took 17,239 tonnes. The volume dipped slightly on September and matched October last year. The ten-month total of 223,916 tonnes runs more than 40,000 tonnes ahead of 2025.
Korea has now almost caught Japan for the year. Only 2,200 tonnes separate the two markets.
China: waiting for the quota reset
China took 10,852 tonnes in October. The figure rose about 3,100 tonnes on September but fell 46 per cent from the 20,200 tonnes shipped in October last year. The ten-month total of 173,800 tonnes compares with 223,000 tonnes a year earlier. Frozen beef made up 82 per cent of the 2026 volume.
The cause sits in the safeguard rules. Beef Central reports Australia filled its 205,000 tonne quota by 18 June. China then applied a 55 per cent additional tariff from 20 June. The tariff runs to 31 December. Beef offal stays exempt under the free trade agreement.
Beef Central expects exporters to fill the 206,000 tonne allowance for 2027 quickly, with record volumes in January. Beef Central also suggested in September some exporters hold frozen product in cold storage for release in the new quota year. Read our full guide to the China beef tariff and its impact on farmers.
Smaller markets: Canada and the Middle East hold gains
- Canada: 6,323 tonnes in October. The ten-month total of 49,423 tonnes rose 7,100 tonnes or 17 per cent.
- Middle East: 5,420 tonnes across nine countries. The ten-month total of 40,887 tonnes rose 7,100 tonnes or 21 per cent.
- United Kingdom: 1,490 tonnes, almost all chilled. October fell about 25 per cent on last year’s 2,067 tonnes. The ten-month total of 17,583 tonnes still rose 24 per cent.
- European Union: 753 tonnes, close to September.
- Indonesia: 2,754 tonnes, mostly frozen. Last October, Indonesia took 5,191 tonnes. The ten-month total of 29,200 tonnes compares with 53,727 tonnes a year earlier.
Indonesia stands out as the weak spot. The ten-month total has fallen 46 per cent. The gains in Canada, the Middle East and the UK add up to about 17,600 tonnes. Together they cover less than three quarters of the 24,500 tonnes lost in Indonesia.
Australia’s reach across these markets took decades to build. Our history of how Australia became a world beef exporter explains how.
Will 2026 still set a record?
The forecasts have moved. Meat & Livestock Australia projected a record year in its September update. Beef Central has quoted the forecast at two levels: 1.606 million tonnes in one report and 1.646 million tonnes in another. Check the MLA update for the figure before you rely on either one.
Run the numbers on what remains. With 1.338 million tonnes shipped, Australia needs:
- 134,000 tonnes a month in November and December to reach 1.606 million tonnes.
- 154,000 tonnes a month to reach 1.646 million tonnes.
- 104,000 tonnes a month to match last year’s 1.546 million tonnes.
October shipped 128,836 tonnes. Beef Central now sees a full year a little over 1.5 million tonnes as more realistic. Plants stop in mid December, so the final month will fall short of a full run. The November figure, due in early December, will show which forecast holds.
Compare like with like when you read these forecasts. The tonnes in this roundup measure shipped weight. AHDB in the UK quotes a 2026 Australian export forecast of 2.4 million tonnes on a carcase weight basis. The two measures do not match, and the higher figure does not mean a higher forecast.
Rain cuts the kill
Supply now shapes the export story. Beef Central reports a late October national kill a little above 140,000 head for one week. It describes this as the smallest full production week since plants restarted in January. Stanbroke no longer adds its usual 6,000 head a week.
Most export plants will stop chains on 17 and 18 December, so the season has about six weeks to run. Beef Central also cites a Bureau of Meteorology outlook for a strong El Nino over spring and summer. Check your local forecast on the Bureau of Meteorology outlooks page, as conditions differ by district.
How to read the monthly figures
Monthly export data moves around. Shipping schedules, public holidays and plant closures all shift tonnes between months. Read three things before you act on one month.
- The year to date. It smooths the noise. Japan fell 16 per cent in October, yet the year still runs 7 per cent ahead.
- The cattle behind the market. The US mostly buys lean frozen beef. Your cow prices depend on this trade more than your feeder steer prices do.
- The rules. China’s October lift came with the 55 per cent tariff still in place. Volumes will jump in January because the quota resets, and the jump alone will tell you little about demand.
What to do with this before Christmas
- Book your kill space now. Plants stop in mid December. Confirm your date and the grid in writing.
- Check your NLIS records. Clean transfers and current vendor declarations keep your cattle moving when plants run tight.
- Watch the young cattle indicators. MLA publishes the EYCI and saleyard indicators each week. Compare them with your processor’s grid before you sell.
- Plan around January. Chinese buyers return when the quota resets on 1 January. Ask your agent how this affects demand for your class of cattle.
- Follow the forecasts. ABARES publishes its commodity outlook each quarter. Read the beef section before you set your 2027 budget.
For current price data and market links, use our Australian cattle market hub.
Frequently asked questions
How much beef did Australia export in October 2026?
Australia shipped 128,836 tonnes of beef in October 2026, according to DAFF data reported by Beef Central. The total fell 3 per cent from September and 8 per cent from October 2025.
Who is the biggest buyer of Australian beef?
The United States is the biggest buyer. It took 42,981 tonnes in October and 421,565 tonnes in the first ten months of 2026. Beef Central calls this the largest ten-month tally on record.
Why did beef exports to China fall in 2026?
Australia filled its 205,000 tonne safeguard quota by 18 June. China then added a 55 per cent tariff to over-quota beef from 20 June. The tariff runs to 31 December.
When does the China beef quota reset?
The quota resets on 1 January 2027. Beef Central reports a 2027 allowance of 206,000 tonnes and expects record trade volumes in January.
Will Australia set a beef export record in 2026?
The ten-month total stands at 1.338 million tonnes, up 71,000 tonnes on last year. Beef Central now expects a full year a little over 1.5 million tonnes, against 1.546 million tonnes last year. The result depends on November and December shipments.
