The value of US beef exports jumped 37% year-on-year in April to US$267.9 million, while volumes grew 30% to 58,982 tonnes.

 

April export values were also 14% higher than in April 2003, the last year of pre-BSE market access conditions for the US beef industry, according to reports by the USDA and US Meat Exporters Federation.

 

Mexico and Canada remained the largest markets for US beef in April, taking 12,227 tonnes and 12,139 tonnes, respectively, valued at US$49.2 million and US$57.9 million. US exports to Korea (6,994 tonnes) and Japan (7,300 tonnes) continued to grow at a rapid rate, surging 287% and 28% year-on-year, respectively, although remain well below 2003 levels.

 

US beef exports for January - April totalled 215,929 tonnes, 24% more than the previous year. Despite this, the expectation is still for much lower US beef production this year and the next, based on the shrinking beef cow herd and the smallest calf crop in more than 50 years, the reports said.

 

The USDA has forecast beef production in 2010 to fall 1.8% on 2009 to 25.608 billion pounds, and for a further fall of 3.3% to 25.217 billion pounds in 2011.