December 14, 2007
US beef exports up 20 percent despite languid domestic sales
Even though US beef sales in the US are in the doldrums, exports are doing very well indeed.
The fastest growing markets were Hong Kong, EU and ASEAN, with 283 percent, 129 percent and 180-percent growth respectively.
US beef exports (including variety meat) for the first 10 months of the year were up 19 percent in volume to 639,549 tonnes and 30 percent in value to US$2.2 billion.
The increase was even larger when taking into account just the beef muscle cuts.
Beef muscle cut exports increased 26 percent over the first 10 months of 2006 to 385,724 tonnes valued at US$1.24 billion, a 34-percent increase.
Mexico is still the largest market for US beef, with a 3-percent increase in value to US$993 million (including variety meat) although volumes dropped 3 percent to 298,407 tonnes.
In fact, exports by tonnage to Mexico in October was up 17 percent on-year.
Exports to Canada, the second largest market, rose 34 percent to 106,353 tonnes valued at US$486.53 million (up 37 percent) through October.
Despite age restrictions on US beef, Japan remains the third largest market for US beef.
Japan's exports reached 39,775 tonnes valued at US$206.28 million.
Exports to the Middle East increased 11 percent to 80,530 tonnes valued at US$91.4 million.
Although the majority of this volume was liver bound for Egypt, beef muscle cut exports to the UAE increased by 70 percent to 2,270 tonnes.
Dubai is now considered the gateway to the Middle East and North Africa, with significant potential for high quality US beef.
Most US beef distributed in the UAE goes to upper-end restaurants and world-class hotels. Tenderloin and rib eye steaks are among the most popular US beef cuts.
Even though South Korea was only open to US beef for a few months, it is currently the fifth largest market with exports at 25,055 tonnes for Jan.-Oct.
Even though exports to Taiwan fell 2 percent to 17,904 tonnes, it was 15 percent above 2003 export volume.
US beef exports for first ten months of 2007
|
Tonnage |
Percentage change on-year |
Comments | |
|
|
298,407 |
-3 |
3-percent increase in value to US$993 million |
|
|
106,353 |
34 |
Value at US$486.5 million (up 37 percent) |
|
|
39,755 |
-- |
US$206.28 million value |
|
Middle East |
80,530 |
11 |
US$91.4 million. Value |
|
South Korea |
25,055 |
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|
|
17,904 |
-2 |
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|
Caribbean |
15,533 |
14 |
Main markets: Jamaica, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic |
|
ASEAN |
12,493 |
180 |
Main markets: Vietnam, the Philippines, and Singapore |
|
Hong Kong |
7,787 |
283 |
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|
EU |
6,270 |
129 |
Main markets: Netherlands, Italy and Germany |
|
Central and South America |
7,286 |
56 |
Main markets: Peru, Guatemala, and Hondura |
