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U.S. beef exports to Asian markets look good

USDA will release beef export results for the first quarter of 2010 later this week—and the U.S. Meat Export Federation is expecting some very positive numbers.

USMEF’s senior vice president for the Asia Pacific Region, Joel Haggard, reports U.S. beef is moving at a very strong pace compared to the same period last year.  He says Japan has been a bright spot—and although Japan’s total beef imports have actually declined compared to last year, its imports of U.S. beef have increased sharply.

“We’re up 45 percent from the pace of last year,” Haggard says. “Of course, we’re still restricted by 20 months and younger cattle—but definitely, the demand’s there and the product’s flowing to show it.”

Haggard notes that Taiwan’s imports of U.S. beef are also surging, despite the recent controversy over expanded market access.  In the first two months of 2010, Taiwan’s imports of U.S. beef were up 90 percent.

“Those are imports of boneless and bone-in that took place after the opening of the bone-in market,” says Haggard, “so despite the public relations challenges, the product flows have been strong.”

Haggard says U.S. beef exports to South Korea and Hong Kong are also rising at a much faster pace than those from other major exporting countries.