The search by recession-hit Americans for cheaper food spurred a 72% rise in beef imports from Australia last month, a leading producers' group has revealed.

Lamb imports from Australia were also strong, soaring 37% to 4,700 tonnes, the second highest figure on record, Meat & Livestock Australia (MLA) said.

MLA said that the rises reflected the growing affordability to Americans of Australian produce, thanks to currency movements. The Australian dollar, which was approaching parity with the greenback a year ago, is now worth less than US$0.64.

The increase in US-bound beef shipments to 27,657 tonnes had also been spurred by Americans spurning expensive restaurants in favour of burger bars. Low-end restaurant chains such as McDonalds have been reporting rapid increases in sales.

"Demand for Australian manufacturing beef remained strong, particularly in the fast food sector, as US consumers look for cheaper meal alternatives," MLA said.

Overall, Australian beef exports were 20% higher last month than in February 2008 despite the global economic crisis, with exports to Indonesia more than doubling to a record 4,517 tonnes. Indonesia is already Australia's largest foreign market for live cattle, taking more than 650,000 head, valued at Aus$419m, last year.

However, beef exports to the important South Korean market, with which Australia is attempting to negotiate a free trade agreement, fell by 20% to 8,432 tonnes.

Australia's total lamb exports were 15% higher at 15,540 tonnes, with shipments to the Middle East helped by a shortage of inventories.