Development of the Wagyu Beef Industry in Australia

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  • オーストラリアにおけるwagyu産業の展開
  • オーストラリア ニ オケル wagyu サンギョウ ノ テンカイ

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Abstract

<p>Japanese premium beef called wagyu has a global market potential with its eating quality. However, it is not Japan but Australia that has significantly expanded its export. Australia is now the largest wagyu supplier in the global market, which notably includes Hong Kong, Korea, Singapore, and Dubai. As so-called “wagyu” in Australia is cross-bred, it is not always identical to the authentic Japanese wagyu in terms of genetics or quality. Nevertheless, Australian wagyu beef has been highly valued in top restaurants and hotels outside Japan. This paper illustrates the development of the wagyu industry in Australia by focusing on the dynamics of the beef supply chain, and examines the future of the industry.</p><p>Wagyu was first introduced to Australia via the U. S. A. in the early 1990s. Before the 2000s, Australian wagyu used to be grain-fed by Japanese feedlots only for the Japanese market, but the market shrunk dramatically after the outbreak of BSE followed by the stricter labeling regulations in Japan. For making up the missed market, Australian wagyu was promoted domestically and to other Asian countries by Australian feedlots.</p><p>The wagyu beef supply chain in Australia is as follows: Stud breeders supply wagyu bulls for commercial breeders, and the commercial breeders cross-breed the bulls with their female cattle. Those cross-bred steers are supplied to feedlots, where wagyu cattle are grain-fed for 300-500 days. The feedlots promote their wagyu brand for the international markets, and the markets are expanding spurred on by economic growth and the boom in Japanese cuisine. There are reportedly around 10,000 full-blood wagyu cattle and 130,000 cross-bred wagyu cattle in Australia in 2012.</p><p>Although wagyu became popular globally in the late 2000s, the wagyu supply chain in Australia is facing a greater risk caused by the overlong feeding-period with the high grain prices and inconsistent beef quality. Smaller producers in the chain are withdrawing, and several companies are integrating the chain vertically instead. Those integrated companies will be the pivotal player in the wagyu industry in Australia, and they may further improve the quality of Australian wagyu. It should also be noted that the genetic resources of wagyu such as semen and embryos are being exported further abroad, and that will potentially lead to increasing wagyu production in other countries in Asia, Europe, and South America.</p>

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