April 8, 2013

Uruguay's beef exports to China increased by 82% in 2012

Uruguay experienced a kick in shipments to China, with exports for January-February 2013 maintaining the much higher volumes of 2012 of 21,157 tonnes swt, up 82% over the previous year.

For the third month in only the last six months, China became the number one destination for Uruguayan beef, totalling 5,190 tonnes swt in February - a five-fold increased on-year, with frozen forequarter accounting for 21% of total shipments.

Despite the forecast surge in beef demand from China in 2013, the Uruguayan industry reportedly remains cautious regarding just how sustainable both volumes and the higher prices can be over the medium term.