December 12, 2006

Uruguay makes record beef exports

Uruguay exported 476.448 tonnes of beef on Dec 2, making a new record, with the US and Russia being its major clients

The North America Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) purchased 31 percent Uruguay's beef in 2006, as compared to 72 percent last year.

Russia, on the other hand soared from a meagre less than 1 percent in 2005 to 20.7 percent this year.

Chile also turned out to be a formidable buyer of Uruguayan beef jumping from US$5 million in 2005 to US$91 million this year.

Uruguay's impeccable sanitary record regarding foot-and-mouth disease has played a leading role in the country's beef exports, both in terms of volume and value, overtaking regional competitors such as Brazil and Argentina.