US beef imports show greater rate of inspection failure

More than two years after the resumption of US beef imports, data indicates that South Korean consumer confidence in the meat has been slow to recover.

Data released by the Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MIFAFF) on Tuesday (June 29) on attested imports of US beef show that a total of 28,152 tonnes were imported through May of this year. This represents a 26.8% increase over the 22,193 tonnes imported during the same period last year. The percentage of all imported beef coming from the US also increased slightly over the same period last year, from 27.3% to 31.3%.

A look at US beef's share of the total imported beef market month by month shows ups and downs, with a sharp increase in January and February, at 38.9% (6,709 tonnes) and 37% (5,431 tonnes) respectively. This was followed by a fall to 26.3% (5,269 tonnes) in March, 28.6% (5,413 tonnes) in April and 28.1% (5,331 tonnes) in May.

"In contrast to some US media reports, the increase in US beef imports had been gradual and the increase at the beginning of this year appears to have been a temporary phenomenon due to a peak in demand during the Korean Lunar New Year holiday," said　Jang Jae-hong, deputy director of MIFAFF's Labelling, Quarantine and Inspection Division. "US beef's current share of South Korea's imported beef market is far lower than the 70-80% it had enjoyed before the import ban was imposed."

The data also revealed that there were more problems involved with quality control of US beef than with beef imported from other countries. Democratic Party Lawmaker Jong Bum-goo obtained data on imported beef rejected by South Korean customs from the National Veterinary Research & Quarantine Service. The data indicates that 70.1% of the total quantity of beef rejected for violation of hygiene standards during the quarantine process between June 2008 when imports resumed, and May this year, was from the US. A total of 97.1% (78,876kg) of the 81,203kg rejected for having spoiled was also from the US.

"The far greater rate of inspection failure of US beef than that of other countries shows that US regulations on the production and distribution of beef are comparatively slack, and that the US must first reinforce its own domestic beef regulations and restore credibility before demanding that other countries open up their markets to imports," said Jong.

Meanwhile, Bloomberg News quoted an employee of the US Meat Export Federation as saying that US exports of beef to South Korea had increased by 86% this year and were returning to 2003 levels, prior to the mad cow disease issue.