September 19, 2007

Brazilian beef body blames UK for export drop

Brazil's Beef Exporters Association, or Abiec, cited UK pressure for a 14 percent decline in Brazil's August beef exports.

In a tit-for-tat beef battle between the two nations over the last several months, UK ranchers tried to convince European buyers that Brazilian beef was unhealthy. And on Monday, Abiec said the strategy apparently worked, citing the UK lobby for drops in European imports of Brazilian beef.

"One of the reasons for the drop in August is because of the campaign created by English and Irish ranchers against Brazilian beef," the group said in a press release.

Brazil exported 162,606 tonnes of carcass equivalent beef to world markets in August, compared with 189,407 tonnes in August 2006.

Exports dropped 25 percent on the year to the Netherlands to 3,915 tonnes; 20.8 percent to Italy, or 4,129 tonnes; 22.3 percent to Spain for a total of 715 tonnes and 78 percent to the UK, or 1,989 tonnes.

Brazil exported 1.3 million tonnes of fresh beef in carcass equivalent weight from January 1 to August 31, up 16.2 percent from the same period in 2006, Abiec said.

Brazil is the world's no. 1 beef exporter.