November 19, 2008
EU's beef imports from South America falls 50 percent
The EU's beef imports from South America have declined more than 50 percent in the first nine months of the year, according to an EU market study.
Beef imports from South America reached 176,000 tonnes, with Brazil as the largest supplier but restrictions have led to a 55-percent drop in Brazilian imports during the period, said the study.
The EU will have a deficit of 155,000 tonnes of beef this year, while this year's total beef production in the EU is expected to move down 2 percent to 7.22 million tonnes.
In addition, the EU's beef consumption is expected to decline 2 percent to 7.37 million tonnes through 2009.
