October 25, 2006

 

Global meat exports look bright for 2007

 

 

Meat-trade experts predict global exports of beef, pork, and poultry would increase next year as importers ease disease-related bans that has plagued the industry for much of last year and early this year. 

 

Beef exports would lead the way in the meat trade growth next year, with growth of 6.5 percent, while chicken exports would increase 4.1 percent and pork, 2.6 percent, according to forecasts by meat-trade experts at USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS).

 

These increases would be brought about by the reopening of markets previously closed due to outbreaks of animal diseases, such as mad cow, foot and mouth disease (FMD), and bird flu.

 

A rise in beef exports was expected despite tight supplies as major beef-producers like Argentina, Brazil, the US and Canada, which have all seen restrictions this year, were expected to export more as restrictions eased. 

 

Meanwhile, US beef exports are forecast to rise 30 percent in 2007 as the product is expected to do better in Japan and South Korean markets, which re-opened for US beef this year.

 

China, Brazil and the United States are forecast to make the largest gains in beef production.

 

China's beef production has grown five to seven percent annually and is expected to continue that growth next year.

 

Brazil's beef production is forecast to grow three percent in 2007, driven by strong domestic demand and lifting of FMD trade bans.

 

For pork, global exports are expected to increase almost three percent in 2007 after an expected one percent decline in 2006, led by increased US and Brazilian exports.

 

Much of the increase in global pork production would be from China, the largest pork producer in the world. China's pork production and consumption are forecast to increase more than five percent each in 2007.

 

US pork exports are expected to reach a record 1.4 million tonnes - nearly double the amount in 2002.

 

As for chicken, global exports are forecast to increase four percent in 2007 after dropping in 2006.

 

The US market share is expected to increase to 37 percent, Brazil's share is expected to drop one percent to 38 percent and the EU share would remain at 10 percent.

 

Russia, the largest chicken importer, is forecast to decrease imports in 2007 by more than seven percent as the country's poultry production takes off. Russia gets 60 percent of its poultry imports from the US and the rest from Brazil.