June 5, 2006

Uruguay tries to lure South Korea into buying its beef
 

Uruguayan officials are hoping that the recent declaration by the World Health Organization that the country is free from the foot-and-mouth disease would generate interest in the South Korean market for its beef.

Uruguayan beef has been banned from the country since 2001 due to an outbreak of foot and mouth disease.

Officials from the country's National Meats Institute, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and business representatives from several Uruguayan businesses have been visiting Korea to help market the country's beef in an effort to revive exports.

Luis Alfredo Fratti Silveira, chairman of the National Meat Institute (INAC) said that only a handful of countries have received WHO's clean bill of health and added that this indicates Uruguayan beef's safety and quality.

Even before the foot and mouth disease outbreak, exports to Korea were negligible, said Francesco Muzio Llado, director-general of agricultural services at the Ministry of Agriculture. However, he expects the recent visits to pave the way for more exports in the future.

Uruguay exports about US$1 billion in beef products globally but 80 percent of its exports goes to the US.