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Beef

Beef is one of the Greater Whitsunday region’s biggest exports, with an estimated value of $474 million.

Across the region, beef cattle farming accounts for over 40% of the region’s agricultural output. Beef cattle production is the largest agricultural contributor to the Mackay Isaac Whitsunday economy.

 

The industry is mature, with over 850 beef cattle businesses in the region. The larger businesses are more likely to be found in the Isaac region, and the Mackay area has more agribusinesses with smaller herd sizes. 30% of the livestock produced in the Greater Whitsunday region is consumed domestically, with 70% exported (10% live exports), predominantly to Japan, South Korea and the USA, followed by China.

Mackay Isaac Whitsunday is a high-volume beef cattle region in terms of total numbers (approximately 8.7% of the Queensland herd) and the numbers of animals that pass through the region enroute to market. The region produces close to 50,000 tonnes of meat each year. The Clermont Saleyards see more than 70,000 head of cattle annually, with anywhere between 1,000 and 1,500 cattle transported per week.

Source: MIW Regional Agribusiness Supply Chains Report (2020), Acil Allen