World Cattle News:

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Monday, April 27, 2009Print This Page
Brazil Back in the Chilean Market
BRAZIL - Seventeen Brazilian beef plants are now eligible to export to Chile, reversing the foot and mouth disease ban placed on Brazilian beef in late 2005. Access for 16 of the plants was granted last week by the Chilean Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) (the other plant, from the state of Rio Grande do Sul, regained entry in 2006).


The Brazilian Beef Exporters Association (ABIEC) expects all 18 plants inspected by SAG in December 2008 will be granted access in the short term. ABIEC believes that Chile has the potential to import 100,000 tonnes cwt annually from Brazil. SAG is expected to soon send inspection missions to other states within Brazil (Valor Econômico).

During the first half of 2005, before the FMD ban, Brazilian beef had a 61 per cent market share of the Chilean market, when 36 plants were certified. After a period of restricted supply from Argentina, Brazil and higher prices from Uruguay, Paraguay and Australia became larger suppliers to Chile (Chile imported 9,699 tonnes from Australia in 2008).

ABIEC is optimistic Brazil will soon recover its position as the main supplier to Chile, as other traditional suppliers such as Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay are currently focused in the EU, Russia and the US.

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[29 June 2009] Strong demand in China and Hong Kong has lifted exports of Australian beef to Asia, with shipments in the first five months of the year up 30% to 46,270 tonnes. Exports to The Philippines and Singapore drooped 6% and 2%, respectively, due to softer demand for manufacturing beef in The Philippines and falling neck shipments to Singapore. For exports from the US, the shipment grew 29% in the January-April period to 32,170 tonnes, thanks also to growing demand in China.

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China to become largest beef consumer
[9 March 2010] China could become the largest consumer of beef in the world by 2015, accounting for over 50% of the world beef trade, said Sergey Yushin, head of the Executive Committee of the Russian National Meat Association. Mr Yushin predicted the surge in demand for beef in China and Southeast Asia could result in a sharp rise in prices. He added, that by 2015 China will be able to export up to 5 million tonnes of beef a year.
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Australia unable to satisfy Korea's demand for beef
[9 March 2010] Australian beef traders reported solid demand and strong prices from Korea recently, but were unable to fully capitalise on this demand due to the lack of beef supply. Beef exports from Australia to Korea totalled 7,505 tonnes in February with 2,325 tonnes  consisting of chilled beef products. The lack of Australian grass fed beef has triggered improved interest in grain fed beef in Korea – increasing 33% on last month and by 47% in the calendar year to February compared with 2009. 

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S. Korea starts tracking imported beef
[11 March 2010] South Korea has adopted the COOL (Country of Origin Labeling) system to track imported beef. The system currently trialed on a voluntary basis by importers and distributors offers information such as the country of origin, shelf life and if the meat has been frozen during shipment. The farm ministry said it would enhance recall procedures. The system is likely to be made mandatory by December once the necessary infrastructure is implemented.

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China’s beef imports forecast to soar
[12 March 2010] China’s beef production is estimated to continue falling to 5.5 tonnes in 2010, down 5% from the year before, as comparatively low farm returns dampen beef cattle population, said a report from USDA Foreign Agricultural Service. China’s 2010 beef imports are forecast to surge nearly one third to 30,000 tonnes, encouraged by continued high prices in the Chinese beef market. In 2009, China’s beef imports increased more than threefold to 23,000 tonnes, with shipments from Australia, Uruguay and New Zealand all more than doubling from the year before. While Australia is the top supplier, imports from Uruguay are rising at the fastest pace due to competitive pricing on muscle cuts. In addition, significantly higher quantities of imported beef continue to move through gray channels. Traders estimate these imports – primarily from Brazil and the United States – topped 100,000 tonnes in 2009.

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Indonesia restricts Australian beef imports
[30 April 2010] New restrictions imposed by Indonesian authorities on beef import permits has placed Australia's Northern Territory cattle exporters in a dilemma. A domestic oversupply led the Indonesian Government to suspended the issuance of new import permits three months ago. About 80% of live cattle exports from Australia are sent to Indonesia. Alistar Lugston, Asia Pacific livestock manager for Meat and Livestock Australia said there's currently weak demand for cattle in Indonesia, making it difficult for feedlotters there to sell cattle. He said demand could increase in the lead-up to the Muslim Ramadan festival.

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S. Korea bans Japanese meat imports
[30 April 2010] South Korea has banned imports of all meat and by-products from cloven-hoofed animals in Japan after Tokyo confirmed an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease, the government said. The farm ministry said the Japanese government acknowledged that three cows suspected at a farm in Miyazaki Prefecture tested positive for the highly contagious disease. The farm also raises 16 cattle used for breeding. Fully processed food and hide products may be imported if they meet set production standards, although most goods from cloven hoofed animals will not be allowed to enter the country for the time being. These include fresh pork, many ham products, and animal hides, the officials said. South Korea imported USD 7.5 million worth of meat and other products made from Japanese livestock in 2009.

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Australian beef exports in April down 8.3%
[5 May 2010] Australia's beef exports in April fell 8.3% from March to 74,753 boneless metric tonnes, a drop of 7.4% from April last year, according to official figures.Exports in April took shipments in the first four months of this year to 263,121 tonnes, down 12% from the same period last year, according to the figures issued by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry. Australia is the second-largest global exporter of beef after Brazil, with the value of beef exports around AUD 4.5 billion/year (USD 4.1 billion) a year. About two-thirds of Australia's beef output is exported. Meat & Livestock Australia Ltd previously attributed softer beef exports in 2010 to difficult trading conditions, including a relatively strong Australian currency, sluggish overseas demand and soft returns.

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Rise in Australian beef exports to Asia
[1 July 2010] Australian beef exports to Southeast Asia and Greater China increased 13% in May from April to 10,172 tonnes swt. May shipments remained 2% lower compared with May 2009, affected by falls in exports to Indonesia, China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Thailand. Meanwhile, trade to Taiwan, Philippines and Malaysia continued an upward trend. Over the calendar year to May, beef exports to Southeast Asia and Greater China decreased 3% on a year ago, to 44,954 tonnes swt, after being affected by tight supplies earlier this year. Manufacturing beef remained the most popular cut exported to the region during the period, with total shipments staying at 15,325 tonnes swt.

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 Kerchin links with NZ firms to grow beef operations
[16 July 2010] China's second largest beef processor Inner Mongolia Kerchin Cattle Industry Co Ltd has signed a multi-million dollar deal with two New Zealand companies, Te Mania Livestock and FoodCap. This is the first official agricultural contract to emerge from the free trade agreement between both countries. Te Mania Livestock, specializing in breeding quality Angus beef cattle, will provide cattle semen and breeding know-how and help Kerchin improve the quality of beef produced at its feedlots in Inner Mongolia. Kerchin will also capitalize on the frozen meat supply chain system from Auckland-based FoodCap and set up packing facilities in some major cities in China. Kerchin Cattle Industry Co Ltd currently has an annual slaughter capacity of 100,000 heads. 
 
 
 

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Philippines lifts ban on UK beef
[1 September 2010] The Philippines has lifted a decade long ban on beef imports from the United Kingdom subject to conditions set by the UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. These conditions are that: the boneless and bone-in beef can be sourced from cattle of all ages devoid of any nerves and other BSE-specified risk materials (SRM) shall be imported; that the beef, whether boneless or bone-in should come only from healthy ambulatory and not downer cattle; and the slaughter date of the cattle or the production date of the beef shall be included in the packaging label.

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Argentina set to start beef exports to China
[19 November 2010] Argentina is set to start exporting beef to China before the end of the year, after striking a deal over animal-health requirements. Argentina’s International Trade Secretary Luis Maria Kreckler said an official trade agreement is expected to be signed between the two countries after the visit of Brazilian agricultural secretary in China at the end of November. Argentina was the world's No. 4 beef supplier in 2009. According to a report by Argentine Meat Industry and Trade Chamber, beef production is decreasing in Argentina where the national herd has shrunk by 10 million heads in the last three years to about 48 million.

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Australia beef exports to Asia rank positively
[13 December 2010] Increased supply and strong importer enquiries in preparation for the up coming Christmas and New Year augured well for Australian beef exports to South East Asia and Greater China during November. Exporte increased 19% from the previous month and 7% compared with the same time last year. Shipments to South East Asia and Greater China over the calendar year to November increased 5% year-on-year, totalling 121,284 tonnes swt, attributed largely to rises in exports to Malaysia (up 43%), Philippines (up 16%), China (up 8%) and Thailand (up 17%). Exports to Indonesia and Singapore during the 11 months to November remained steady, while the volume sent to Hong Kong decreased 6%.

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Taiwan not obliged to review ractopamine ban 24 Jan 2011
There is currently no need for Taiwan to revise its ban against a residue of ractopamine being used as drug to promote leanness in farm animals, Council of Agriculture Minister Chen Wu-hsiung has said.

The authorities in Taiwan recently detected small amounts of residue from a banned muscle-growth drug in beef imported from the United States.
 
The discovery raised public concerns on the island despite the US not restricting the use of the drug, commercially known as Paylean.
 
Four drugs blacklisted
Paylean contains ractopamine, one of four animal-use drugs along with salbutamol, terbu-taline and clenbuterol, which are blacklisted in Taiwan.
 
It was the first time banned drugs had been detected in US beef since Taiwan re-opened its doors to American beef in 2007, after suspending imports of the product over mad-cow disease worries.
 
"Taiwan's existing law prohibits the use of any leanness drugs," Chen said, noting that the law applies to both imported and locally-produced meat products.
 
Codex Alimentarius
Speaking of the plan by the United Nations-linked group - Codex Alimentarius Commission - to amend its regulations on the permitted amount of leanness drug residue on meat products, the minister said Taiwan will not review its leanness drug ban until Codex makes changes.
 
According to Chen, under WTO regulations, all its members must follow Codex guidelines. Those unwilling to follow them have to present a risk evaluation and convince other countries to accept it.
 
Ban on leanness drugs
Health Minister Yaung Chih-liang repeated his office's insistence of keeping its ban against the use of leanness drugs.
 
He said his office will try to coordinate with the United States, asking the latter not to sell beef containing the residue of leanness drugs to Taiwan.
 

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Philippines - EU Beef ban lifted 03 Feb 2011
This follows earlier decisions to lift the bans on imports from the other EU Member States and means that exporters from all EU Member States can now apply to export such products to the Philippines again.

 

 

This measure is welcomed by the EU as by lifting the ban, the Philippines shows that it recognises that European beef and beef products are safe.
 
 
 
 
 
In 2000, the Philippines introduced an import ban on beef of European origin, citing a risk of Bovine
Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) without providing any scientific justification for the measure.
This measure went beyond the international standards set by the World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and did not take into account the stringent control and surveillance measures in place in the European Union guaranteeing that European beef and beef products could be consumed in all safety.
 
 
 
 
 
Since the introduction of the ban, the European Commission, the EU Delegation and EU Mem-ber States regularly raised the issue with the Philippines in all available fora and bilateral meetings, at technical and political level.
 
 
 
 
 
On these occasions, the European Commission requested the Philippines to lift the ban for all affected EU Member States.
Source: businessmirror.com