US Gearing Up Presence In Japan
US - Japanese imports of US beef continue to expand, as the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) gears up another marketing campaign in order to regain market share they lost after the BSE outbreak in December 2003.
2 July 2010
1 minute read
Japan imported 36,082 tonnes swt of beef in May, up 12 per cent compared with the same period last year, however import volumes in May 2009 were particularly low given the very uncertain economic and beef demand outlook. Imports from Australia grew two per cent year-on-year, to 25,357 tonnes, while US shipments increased 34 per cent year-on-year, to 6,131 tonnes - but still only 30 per cent of pre-2003 BSE levels.
Beef imports from the US are expected to increase further in coming months, boosted by higher production, with the USMEF promotions expected to get into full-swing during this period. Its recent marketing activities include American beef cooking seminars for popular female 'bloggers' (owners of highly accessed websites), "Lunch box boys" recipes by young males, and a gift campaign to win 100kg of US beef (promoted under a theme "Unexpectedly healthy, American Beef").
Japan maintains the bi-lateral import protocols with US that all beef must be sourced from cattle less than 21 months of age, with Specified Risk Materials (SRMs) removed. Despite ongoing pressures from the US to relax the regulations, there have been no further reports to confirm the progress of beef import negotiations, since two countries last met for discussions in April.
TheCattleSite News Desk
