April 23, 2007

Japan registers high beef consumption in February 2007

Beef consumption in Japan totalled 57,621 tonnes in February 2007, posting an increase of 6 percent compared to the same month last year despite the warm amid winter and sales slowdown of Nabemono or Japanese hot pot, figures from the  Agriculture and Livestock Industries Corporation (ALIC) show.

An increase in imported beef in February or 54 percent of beef consumed contributed to the rise, up 12 percent from 2006. Local beef production remained unchanged as consumption of imported beef posted 13 percent from the December 2006 to February 2007, similar on the same period in 2005 to 2006.

The rise in consumption, however, is not enough to offset the recent surge in import volumes. February stock levels of imported beef were 26 percent above the previous year, reflecting the high volumes imported from Australia. Imports over the December to February period rose 18 percent compared with the corresponding months in 2005 to 2006, and as a result import stock levels were 25 percent higher than the previous year.

Stocks were seen to have declined in March, as exports from Australia eased - 10 percent below a year ago--and beef sales at retail were unchanged on the last year (8.9 kilograms per 1,000 customers - Australian only), according to ALIC.