January 16, 2006

 

South Korea to partially resume US beef imports in March

 

 

US beef exports should enter South Korea by late March for the first time in more than two years, thanks to a new agreement by the countries, USDA Secretary Mike Johanns said Friday.

 

"We welcome the conclusion of our technical negotiations in Seoul," Johanns said. "This paves the way for the reopening of Korea's beef market, and we anticipate that trade will resume toward the end of March after Korea completes its import procedures."

 

South Korea, along with most of the foreign markets for US beef, stopped importing in December 2003 after a case of BSE, or mad-cow disease, was discovered here.

 

The agreement reached by US and South Korean negotiators in Seoul would allow the US to export only boneless beef from cattle under 30 month old.

 

US Trade Representative Rob Portman said Friday he was disappointed South Korea did not decide to open its market further.

 

"Although we appreciate this step toward normalised beef trade with Korea, we are extremely disappointed that Korea did not fully open its market to all US beef products," Portman said. "We will continue to urge Korea in the strongest terms to open its market without delay to US bone-in beef, variety meats, and offal. Together these products historically accounted for approximately 50 percent of US beef exports to Korea."

 

Johanns urged Thailand, China, Taiwan and Singapore to also begin allowing in US beef.

 

Meanwhile, the news was also welcomed by Gregg Doud, economist for the National Cattlemen's Beef Association in the US.

 

"It's good that we're able to reopen these markets and get these things behind us, and the way to do it is by using international guidelines," Doud said. "But it only gets us a little more than half way home. We don't have bone-in ribs or variety meats, so we've still got some work to do."

 

Japan, the largest market for US beef before mad-cow disease was discovered in the US, eased its ban in December.

 

"Korea has been our third largest market for beef exports, so regaining this market has been a priority for the Administration," Johanns said.

 

The US exported US$815 million worth of beef to South Korea in 2003 and US$449 million of those shipments were boneless products, according to USDA.