UK trade deal: What doors will it open for beef?

So says Meat & Livestock Australia's new business manager for the UK Stephen Edwards, who is currently connecting with exporters and will be in-market by October.

MLA created the UK position in anticipation of the new doors opening as a result of the Australia-United Kingdom Free Trade Agreement, signed in December and flagged to kick in by late this year.

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The big research and marketing body for red meat has also conducted extensive studies to clarify and better understand the opportunities for Australian red meat in the UK market.

Key takeaways include that consumers are positively predisposed to Australian red meat, an affinity based on shared culture and history, despite UK retail's long-running 'buy British' campaigns.

"British consumers are very much like Australian consumers in that they want to know where their products come from, that are they sustainable and that animal welfare has been a focus in production," Mr Edwards said.

They also want a guarantee they will enjoy a steak or chop, he said.

"Educating trade about the Australian production and processing systems is the first step," Mr Edwards said.

"We would like for Australian products to complement domestic UK production, like filling seasonal gaps and servicing the market with unique products such as grain-fed and Wagyu beef."

The UK has been among Australia's highest value export markets.

MLA's market snapshot on the UK says that while British beef consumption of 16.5 kg per capita is somewhat higher than the EU's average of 14.6kg, it is significantly lower than some other markets such as the US at 38.3kg and Australia at 26.5kg, which points to the potential for consumption growth.

While Australia's presence in the market has been limited to date by European Union market access restrictions, Mr Edwards said there were some great beef and lamb products currently being shipped to the UK.

The MLA research shows the market is used to lean red meat of variable quality, presenting opportunities across all tiers for Australian quality, which is consistency underpinned by Meat Standards Australia, as well as opportunities for Australian premium and grain-fed product.

"Australia produces some fantastic long fed Wagyu, grain-fed and grass-fed beef, and Australian lamb is also world class," Mr Edwards said.

However, he did note the raft of challenges facing exporters, from high grain prices to staffing issues, transport costs and getting the product to market either by air or sea.