June 11, 2012
 

Brazil expected to utilise 31% of quality beef quota

Brazil's beef exports to the EU is expected to reach an anticipated 31%, or 3,100 tonnes, of its "Hilton" High Quality Beef (HQB) Quota for 2012 as its shipments totalled 2,362 tonnes.

Under the HQB quota, 65,250 tonnes (from seven nominated sources) can enter the EU on an annual basis. The beef must be high quality and can comprise bone-in or boneless cuts of fresh, chilled or frozen beef from Australia, New Zealand, the US and Paraguay, but only chilled product from Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina. A customs duty of 20% ad valorem of the CIF value applies.

Due to traceability restrictions and the definition of "high quality beef", Brazil has had some difficulties in supplying suitable product under the HQB specifications. For the 2010-11 fiscal year, Brazilian shipments of HQB totalled 451 tonnes out of an allocation of 10,000 tonnes.