July 16, 2009

Japan consumed 59,430 tonnes of beef in May, down six percent on-year, according to data from the Agriculture and Livestock Industries Corporation of Japan.

The decline was largely due to lower imported volumes in May, which reached only 32,301 tonne swt, the lowest since February 2007. Combined with slow sales at the foodservice sector (except fast food), appeared to have impacted imported beef consumption, which dropped 13 percent on-year to 31,474 tonnes.

Imported chilled beef inventory was kept at reduced levels, despite reportedly decent retail sales, to mitigate risk amid the poor economy. As a result, imported chilled beef stocks in May were depleted to only 57 percent of year-ago levels at only 7,784 tonnes, while frozen stocks increased eight percent to 53,215 tonnes.

Consumption of Japanese domestic beef grew five percent from last year to 27,956 tonnes.

In the calendar year to May, imported beef consumption totalled 190,716 tonnes, five-percent above the same time last year.