October 4, 2007

Japan ups US beef imports by 6 percent in August

Japan bought 35,884 tonnes of US beef (excluding offals) in August, up 6 percent, according to the Japan's Ministry of Finance.

The presence of US beef in Japan further increased by 8 percent on July, reaching 3,996 tonnes, the highest since it returned to the market in July 2006 -- but still only 21 percent of 2003 level. Returning to Yoshinoya's gyudon (beef rice bowl) and various yakiniku (Japanese / Korean style barbeque) outlets, the US is said to be more active in the foodservice sector, compared to a limited exposure at retail supermarkets.

Beef imports from Australia were 27,864 tonnes, down 1,943 tonnes or 6.5 percent from the last year, with decline coming from both chilled (15,703 tonnes, down 5 percent) and frozen (12,161 tonnes, down 8.5 percent).

New Zealand beef imports decreased to 2,809 tonnes or down 11 percent from 2006; while Canadian imports grew to 426 tonnes, up 92 percent, continuing its slow recovery in the market. Japan has imported only 1,923 tonnes of Canadian beef in the first eight months of this year, compared with a total of 19,052 tonnes in 2002, prior to the import ban in May 2003 due to mad cow disease outbreak.