US beef exports grow 16%
US beef exports increased by 24% in volume and 43% in value in August compared with August 2009 exports.
Exports for the month totalled 92,579 tonnes, or $373.7 million, according to statistics from the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
Beef exports for the first eight months of the year grew 16% year-on-year in volume to 680,609 tonnes and 27% in value to $2.57 billion.
All major export markets showed strong growth during the first eight months of the year, except for Vietnam, which had a slight drop in volume but rose 12% in value, and Mexico, which dropped 21% in volume and 18% in value.
Korea remains the fastest-growing market, with exports of 73,625 tonnes worth $345 million, up 131% and 175%, respectively, year-on-year.
Canada continues to be the second-largest market for US beef. Export volume was relatively stable at 98,022 tonnes, but value increased by 8% to $ 461.1 million. Japan is narrowing the gap with Canada, with beef exports totalling 78,879 tonnes and valued at $404.3 million, up 26% in volume and value.
Exports to Egypt increased by 29% in volume to 69,811 tonnes and 65% in value to $ 97.1 million.
With strong growth in the UAE and Saudi Arabia, Middle Eastern beef exports grew 31% in volume to 82,850 tonnes and 59% in value to $150.7 million.
Taiwan, which has registered record US beef imports in each of the last four years, experienced a new record in 2010. Exports to Taiwan rose by 42% in volume to 24,409 tonnes and 54% in value to $131.1 million.
Exports to Russia reached a new record value of $104.5 million during the eight-month period, exceeding the previous record of $95.3 million recorded during the same period in 2008.
Despite the slowdown in August, cumulative exports to Hong Kong were still 50% higher in volume at 20,407 tonnes and were 68% higher in value at $76.3 million.
