December 2, 2009

Canada and Mexico eyeing Japanese beef market

Despite being small players, Canadian and Mexican beef export associations are targeting Japan and intensified their promotional efforts to make their presence known to Japanese end-users.

In late November, the Canada Beef Export Federation (CBEF) held a seminar in Tokyo focusing on their production, traceability, and food safety systems. CBEF reportedly is aiming to export 22,000 tonnes of beef to Japan in 2015. In the calendar year to October, Japan imported 6,002 tonnes (slaughterweight) swt of Canadian beef (1 percent of total imports), 37 percent of pre-BSE volumes in 2002.

In the meantime, the Mexican trade conducted a consumer beef promotion, and a tasting event for the Japanese foodservice, both held in Tokyo. The Japanese media has reported that the organisation will roll out various activities to promote Mexican beef in the international market. Japan's Mexican beef imports this year (January to October) have reached 8,112 tonnes (2percent of total imports), up 5percent year-on-year.

Mexico signed a free trade agreement (FTA) with Japan in 2004. Currently, the FTA allows reduced tariff rates for beef and offal products from Mexico, up to 6,000 tonnes swt per year.

At present, imported beef accounts for approximately half of total beef required in Japan. Australia is a dominant supplier in this category (76 percent of the total imports), followed by the US (14 percent) and New Zealand (6 percent).