US Beef Exports Up 25 Per Cent

US - US beef exports continued to rise during November 2010, with volumes jumping 25 per cent year-on-year, to 97,772 tonnes carcase weight (cwt).
calendar icon 18 January 2011
clock icon 1 minute read
Meat & Livestock Australia

For January to November 2010, US beef shipments were up 22 per cent on the previous year, to 942,188 tonnes cwt - closing in on the pre-BSE levels of 2003 (984, 376 tonnes cwt).

The weak US$ has been the main driver of rising exports in 2010, assisted by a slight increase in US beef production and improving economic conditions and demand from some markets. Exports in 2010 were up to Japan (up 27 per cent), Canada (up four per cent) and Korea (up 106 per cent).

November exports to Mexico, the US' largest market, lifted 12 per cent year-on-year, to 21,287 tonnes cwt. This signifies a positive turnaround in the market, which struggled for much of 2010 due to a weak Mexican peso, tough economic conditions and a reported drop in patronage at foodservice outlets.

The latest United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) forecast is for US beef exports in 2011 to remain relatively unchanged, at 1.04 million tonnes cwt, amid a predicted drop in total US beef production. However, in the first quarter of 2011, US beef production looks like being slightly higher than in 2010, assisted by increased cattle placements into US feedlots during the final quarter of the year.

TheCattleSite News Desk

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