January 12, 2007

 

USMEF continues to help promote US red meat exports

 

 

Promotions conducted by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) in international markets help increase US meat purchases while more open access for US beef helped boost demand, the USMEF said.

 

US pork and pork variety meat exports worldwide increased 9 percent in volume to 1.14 million tonnes and 8 percent in value to US$2.6 billion. Meanwhile, US beef and beef variety meat exports climbed 41 percent in volume to 597,964 tonnes and 53 percent in value to US$1.86 billion.

 

Mexico continues to be the top volume market for pork at 324,630 tonnes while Japan is highest in value at US$945 million.

 

Last month, USMEF worked with chefs in Japan to demonstrate cooking US pork for holiday season menus. These workshops helped change perceptions of US pork and helped promote its positive image to both hotel chefs and a large consumer audience in Japan, said Greg Hanes, USMEF Japan director.

 

Pork exports to Russia shot up 111 percent in volume to 80,594 tonnes and 129 percent in value to US$159.8 million, according to the USMEF.

 

Export volumes to Hong Kong increased 100 percent to 21,080 tonnes and 98 percent in value to US$35.5 million.

 

In South Korea, where domestic meat prices have skyrocketed, volumes increased 47 percent to 94,772 tonnes while value increased 43 percent to US$199.2 million, the USMEF said.

 

USMEF held promotions at a Samsung Tesco store in South Korea in October.

 

It was the first time US chilled pork skirt meat and false lean - a small amount of lean meat located over the blade bone on the portion of the full loin - were offered at the store. Sales of these cuts increased 5 percent since the promotion ended.

 

Mexico, the top market for US beef and beef variety meat, saw volume increasing 33 percent to 339,035 tonnes and value 35 percent to just over US$1 billion.

 

The Middle East continues to post strong gains due to variety meat sales, increasing 185 percent to 79,993 tonnes and 74 percent to US$104.2 million, figures from the USMEF showed.

 

A USMEF campaign last November in Egypt increased awareness of US beef livers with some 80 merchandisers in wholesale and wet markets and 30 restaurants participating in the campaign.

 

Sales of US beef livers increased dramatically in the wholesale wet markets during and following the promotional activities, the USMEF said. 

 

US beef and beef variety meat exports to the Middle East through November are more than double the 2003 year-end totals of 30,915 tonnes and US$29.9 million.

 

Exports to Japan, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Singapore continue to increase since the markets reopened to US beef.

 

The USMEF campaign in Japan is rebuilding consumer confidence in US beef by providing tasting samples, information and a positive image, the USMEF said.

 

The US Meat Export Federation is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the US red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, lamb, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programmes.