August 9, 2004

 

 

Demand For Australia Beef Shoots Up In South Korea
 

Amid the continued ban on U.S beef imports since the outbreak of mad cow disease in December 2003, the demand for Australian beef in South Korea has been rapidly growing.

 

"The demand for Australian beef here is the fastest growing in the world. The Korea market ranks first or second in growth potential," Hugh Amoyal, general manager of international marketing for Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

 

Korea, once famous for anti-beef import campaigns, has become the third largest Australian beef importer after the United States and Japan, taking 9 percent of Australian beef exports in 2002.

 

The Korean unit of the MLA, a non-profit organization in charge of overseas marketing and sales promotion activities for Australian meat and livestock products, predicted despite the protracted consumption slump in Korea, sales of Australian beef would double this year over last year.

 

"Korean consumers are very interested in the safety and sanitation of the food they consume. We are uniquely marketing disease-and pollution-free products," he said.

Another characteristic of Korean consumers that has led Australian beef consumption to increase sharply in a short period of time is their ability to quickly adopt new things.

"Korean consumers tend to change faster than those of other countries. The speed of adopting new cuts, new cuisine and even family restaurants, as well as the speed of change in perception toward beef imports all surprised me," he said.

 

MLA Korea has focused on matching consumers' needs to the product range by introducing and promoting a variety of beef cuts, some of which are for sale under a localized brand such as "Sydney Kalbi."

 

Amoyal said the importance of the Korean market is not only in increasing sales but also in strengthening the future partnership between both nations' livestock industries.

 

"Korea and Australia's close working relationship will not only supply you with products you cannot produce in the market but can also help in improving productivity of the Korean livestock industry," he said.

 

Australia, the number one exporter of beef in the world, boasts a globally competitive livestock industry.

 

According to Amoyal, a couple of joint research and development projects between the Korean government and the Australian industry have been underway to raise the local livestock industry's productivity and efficiency.