<div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Goats, once seen as pests on parts of Australia's </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/farming" rel="" target="" title="rangelands"><span>rangelands</span></a><span>, are now driving a record-breaking export trade with </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/world" rel="" target="" title="global"><span>global</span></a><span> demand surging to unprecedented levels. </span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Industry figures show exports climbed to more than 61,000 tonnes in 2025, cementing </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national" rel="" target="" title="Australia's"><span>Australia's</span></a><span> position as the world's largest goat meat exporter.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The latest snapshot from Meat and Livestock Australia found goat meat exports were up 20 per cent on the previous year, while export value climbed 28 per cent to $464 million.</span></div></div><div><div id="adspot-mobile-medium"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/food-security-fuel-crisis-iran-war-australian-farmers-fertiliser-supply/2d1303b3-f3fa-40e2-a890-33451504e46d" rel="" target="" title="Iran war exposes critical bottleneck in Australia's food supply"><strong><span>Iran war exposes critical bottleneck in Australia's food supply</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Production also hit record levels, rising 18 per cent to 63,672 tonnes.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Despite producing less than 1 per cent of the world's goat supply, Australia now accounts for about 61 per cent of global goat meat exports.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Highlighting the industry's record-breaking numbers, MLA senior market information analyst Emiliano Diaz noted Australia's strengthening position in the global market.</span></div></div><div><div class="OUTBRAIN" data-reactroot="" data-src="//www.9news.com.au/national/goats-record-export-trade-global-demand-australian-meat-surges-farming/c6f260e3-7b50-404e-b221-46674360efa6" data-widget-id="AR_5"></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"While goat meat remains a niche protein globally, demand is expanding as consumers seek nutritious, high-quality and more diverse protein options, and Australia is well placed to lead that growth," Diaz said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The United States remained Australia's largest market in 2025, accounting for almost half of all exports, while Korea continued to post strong growth.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Exports to Korea increased 23 per cent over the past year and have risen more than eightfold since 2020.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Canada also emerged as a major market, recording an 89 per cent jump in imports, while China held its position as Australia's third-largest export destination.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>University of Queensland meat scientist Professor Louw Hoffman said Australia's dominance in the export market was built on systems already established through the beef and lamb industries.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"This has resulted in Australia building credential kudos for providing quality red meat with solid traceability and zero disease risks," he told nine.com.au.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Because the appetite for goat meat lagged at home, Hoffman said, looking overseas was a necessity.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><strong><span>READ MORE:</span></strong><span> </span><a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/warracknabeal-energy-park-wind-farm-victoria-farmers-opposition-government-approval-renewable/cec81d45-032f-4979-ad5d-b012afeae0a1" rel="" target="" title=" Town heated after 'biggest wind farm in Southern Hemisphere' approved"><strong><span>Town heated after 'biggest wind farm in Southern Hemisphere' approved</span></strong></a></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Australia had no choice but to develop and maintain an export market; our local consumption is just too low," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The sector also saw a shift after devastating floods hit parts of NSW and Queensland in 2022.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hoffman said some graziers rebuilding cattle herds were forced to rethink their approach to feral goats, recognising that feral goats could reproduce faster and provide an additional source of income.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Several red meat producers who lost large numbers of their beef herds realised that the rangeland goats on their property had value," he said.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Abattoirs then lifted capacity to meet demand, including higher slaughter numbers through additional shifts.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The report found that improved supply and consistency were also helping goat meat move beyond restaurants and into overseas retail markets.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>"Building awareness and confidence in how to prepare goat meat is critical to unlocking further demand," Diaz said.</span></div></div><div class="player__video-container"><img alt="" src="https://imageresizer.static9.net.au/-l565vuQw2SR3gz4ZfXt3YIHrRY=/750x0/https%3A%2F%2Fvms-network-images-prod.s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com%2F2026%2F04%2F764220%2Fpickerimage.jpg"/></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>Hoffman said Australia's geography had supported the growth, as goats thrive in arid environments that are often unsuitable for other livestock.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>He said Australia's major competitors in East Africa were less equipped to produce the same export volumes because their industries relied on smaller processing operations.</span></div></div><div class="block-content"><div class="styles__Container-sc-1ylecsg-0 goULFa"><span>The industry is now eyeing fresh goat meat exports as another opportunity for growth – particularly in markets like Korea, where consumers are increasingly seeking fresh meat from younger animals over frozen products.</span></div></div>