April 5, 2011
 

Paraguayan beef to be sold in South Korea

 

 

Most of the imported beef sold in South Korea arrives from Australia, New Zealand, the US and Mexico, and the latest addition will be coming from Paraguay for the first time.

 

The Paraguayan Embassy in Seoul said the South Korean company, Songsukwon, will bring in cans of rib, tail and tendon from the Paraguayan firm, Saice.

 

The National Veterinary Research and Quarantine Service said beef from Paraguay is required to be processed using heat before accepted as an import.

 

Frozen and refrigerated beef are permitted from Australia, Mexico, New Zealand and the US.

 

Even live herds of cattle from New Zealand and Australia are sold to Korea.

 

The Ambassador of Paraguay to Korea Ceferino, Adrian Valdez Peralta, said this is positive news.

 

"Korea is a new and difficult market but this is proof that we can work together," he said, adding that he hopes it marks the beginning of expanding commercial ties between the two countries.

 

The Latin American nation has risen as a big meat exporter.

 

Last year, Paraguay exported more than 230,000 tonnes of meat, close to Argentina, a traditional meat exporter.

 

According to Daniel Rojas, president of Paraguay's National Service of Animal Quality and Health, the year 2011 aims to be a new record year in beef, which is the second export product after soy.

 

According to data from the Paraguayan Embassy in Seoul, Chile and Russia are two largest importers of Paraguayan meat.