LMC Report: Increase In UK Beef Exports
NORTHERN IRELAND, UK - During the period of January to July 2010, UK exports of fresh and frozen beef have increased by almost 20 per cent.
15 October 2010
2 minute read
On the beef side, exports from the UK have been buoyant in the first seven months of the year, in part due to the increased level of beef availability, with UK production increasing by 10 per cent between Jan-July this year compared with the same period last year.
The Netherlands is the UK’s most significant trading partner when it comes to beef exports and between January and July 2010, this trade was 27 per cent greater on volume compared to the same period in 2009 (see Figure 3).
The Republic of Ireland continues to import large volumes of beef from the UK. In the first seven months of the year, ROI imported almost 14,000 tonnes of fresh and frozen beef from the UK, a slight increase on last year, albeit lower than 2008 levels. There has been strong growth in beef exports to France, Italy, Germany and Denmark in the first half of 2010.
UK beef exporters have probably benefitted to some extent from the reduced activity of Brazilian exporters in the EU market in recent years thanks to a combination of the restrictions imposed upon them by the EU in 2007, a strong Brazilian Real and buoyant domestic consumption which has left the Brazilians less capacity for export activities.
Beef exports to non-EU countries have increased by around a third in the first seven months of the year. Just like the lamb trade, beef exports beyond the EU represent only a small proportion of the overall trade (around three per cent in the first seven months of 2010). However, the growth in this trade is highly significant for the industry in both GB and NI.
Greater levels of trade with these international markets along with growing beef exports into Europe represent a valuable opportunity to increase sales of fifth quarter products which have limited appeal in the domestic UK market.
It would appear that available market opportunities are being realised with red meat offal exports reaching 20,000 tonnes in the first seven months of the year, 50 per cent more than in the same period last year. If export certification arrangements with more of these important third country markets can be agreed, then UK processors and traders will have the opportunity to enhance returns from the carcase by growing this trade. This has the potential to provide benefits to producers.
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