January 9, 2007

Uruguay meat exports total US$ 1.109 billion in 2006
 

Uruguay exported US$ 1.109 billion worth of meat in 2006, up 24 percent year-on-year, according National Meat Institute (INAC) data.

The meat exports totalled 516,826 tonnes in 2006, of which 60.9 percent corresponded to beef.

Beef exports totalled US$ 952 million in 2006, up 24 percent year-on-year.

A primary factor contributing to a growth in the country's meat exports was an increase in its exports to Russia, The latter constituted 21.8 percent of Uruguay's meat exports in 2006. Beef exports to the South American trade bloc Mercosur and the EU accounted for 11.3 and 10.4 percent of the total meat exports respectively.

The North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) member states, including Mexico, Canada and the US, remained the main importer of Uruguayan beef, but their share dropped to 39.1 percent in 2006, down from 77.1 percent in 2005.