Domestic demand for Australian beef may increase after radiation was found in meat here and amid concern that cesium leaks from the crippled Fukushima No. 1 nuclear plant may spread farther, according to Australian Agricultural Co. Ltd.
"We're expecting to see better demand out of Japan as they move away from their own herds," Chief Executive Officer David Farley said on a conference call Monday. That follows a boost in demand for beef after radiation was detected in domestic seafood in March, he said.
Cattle with excessively high levels of radioactive cesium were detected in four prefectures, the health ministry said July 23. The animals were fed tainted straw after the March earthquake and tsunami caused reactor meltdowns at the Fukushima plant. Supermarkets including the nation's biggest, Aeon Co., said the beef was sold in Tokyo and other cities.