Beef exports rise
According to the latest figures US beef and beef variety meat exports increased 17% in volume to 562,781 metric tones (mt) and by an impressive 29% in value to reach $1.9 billion in the first nine months of the year (January to September), with the industry reporting improving exports to all of its markets except for its largest consumer Mexico, where exports declined 5%, and Taiwan.
This figure now equates to 58% of the volume recorded in the same period in 2003 (pre-BSE), even though Russia, China and Indonesia remain largely closed to US beef exports and the Japanese market remains restricted. However, despite the ongoing battle over exports to Japan, the Asian country was the fourth largest export market, accounting for 35,594 mt valued at $183 million.
