August 3, 2010

South Korea records plummeting H1 livestock exports

South Korea's exports of pork, beef and other livestock meat tumbled in the first half of this year as demand weakened on outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease, according to the Korea Customs Service.

During the January-June period, exports of such products from cloven-hoofed animals amounted to US$3.14 million, down 60.1% from a year earlier, the report said.

Exports of pork fell 95.3% to US$261,000, leading the overall decline. Those of beef rose 56.3% to US$2.88 million, but the growth was far smaller than in previous years, the report showed.

Outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease in Korea earlier this year severely hampered the industry.

The country reported its first case of the highly contagious animal disease in early January, causing all exports to be stopped.

The last confirmed case of the animal disease was confirmed on May 6 after 55,830 livestock had been culled and buried by animal quarantine authorities.

The disease, which affects all cloven-hoofed animals such as cows, pigs, goats and deer, is classified as a "List A" disease by the Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health.