In the maelstrom of politics, economic recession and animal health
challenges, Canadian beef exporters are holding on to Asian customers.
Canada’s beef and veal exports to Asia and Mexico increased by four
percent in 2001 to 114,000 tonnes worth $497 million.
That is up from $24 million in exports to Asia alone when the
federation formed in 1990.
While some sales targets were not met last year, Canada gained market
share against major exporters such as the United States and Australia.
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“Things are going OK,” said Cam Daniels of the Canada Beef Export
Federation.
“We dropped a bit, but not as much as the U.S. or Australia.”
Canada’s beef exports to Asia and Mexico grew by 4.4 percent last year
compared to a decline of 6.4 percent in American exports to the same
regions.
In the first six months of this year, Canada’s exports grew by almost
six percent, compared to a decline of almost three percent by the U.S.
When the beef export federation formed in 1990, it relied mainly on
sales of offal products.
That has shifted.
About 80 percent of beef shipments today are for boneless and
bone-in-meat products, with the remainder being offal products such as
feet, tongues, tails, major organs, intestines and tripe.
Beef exports to all countries reached 490,000 tonnes last year, about
73 percent going to the United States.
The goal for 2010 is 560,000 tonnes exported with 275,000 tonnes, or
about half, going to Asia and Mexico to lessen Canada’s dependence on
the U.S.
