Southern hemisphere beef exports trim Irish share of UK market

Ireland remained the dominant supplier, providing 141,500t, though this was reduced by 8% year-on-year, which the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board analysts said aligns with a tightening Irish cattle kill and the closing price differential between UK and Irish beef. File photo

Growing interest in the UK market has seen beef exporters Down Under significantly increase their shipments this year. Meanwhile, Ireland’s dominant share of the UK’s beef imports is being trimmed.

In the first nine months, beef imports from Australia expanded sharply from 3,800t to 9,700t, a rise of more than 150%, while imports from New Zealand increased from 2,900t in the same period of 2024 to just over 9,000t in 2025, up by more than 200% year-on-year.

Market analysts at the UK’s Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) said the rising imports from Down Under reflect increasing utilisation of the tariff-free access included in recent trade agreements.

There was also a year-on-year 16% increase in beef volumes from Brazil, to 18,500t.

UK beef imports (fresh, frozen, offal and processed) for the first nine months of 2025 totalled 223,000t, a 1% decline on the same period in 2024. However, from July to September this year, import volumes were nearly 2% higher versus the same period last year.

In terms of value, as domestic and global beef prices increased, there was a significant increase in the total value of beef imports into the UK, up 24%, to reach £1.51 billion.

Ireland remained the dominant supplier, providing 141,500t, though this was reduced by 8% year-on-year, which the AHDB analysts said aligns with a tightening Irish cattle kill and the closing price differential between UK and Irish beef.

Imports from Poland increased to 18,200t (up 11% year-on-year), reflecting Poland’s competitive price point in the EU market.

There is scope for more imports of Australian beef, because only 30% of the total 2025 beef quota in the Australian–UK Free Trade Agreement had been used, up to November 10.