CHICAGO, Ill. (Reuters) – This year’s U.S. beef exports could be the highest in eight years.
A weak U.S. dollar, improving economies and a growing hunger for meat continues to drive sales, particularly in Asia and the Middle East, said Phil Seng, chief executive officer of the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Pork exports in 2011 were forecast to be the highest in three years, he added.
Seng expects Asian countries to buy more beef and pork this year, and the Middle East more beef.
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U.S. beef exports from January to November were up nearly 18 percent from a year earlier, and pork was up 2.5 percent.
Rising exports were the key reasons for the increase in commodity prices.
He said beef exports should be up 10 percent this year and pork up five percent.
Seng’s projected increases would still put exports shy of the record 2.52 billion pounds of beef exported in 2003 and the 4.65 billion lb. of pork in 2008.
“The 10 percent on the beef side could be conservative if the U.S. gains more access to Japan and China.”
Japan buys U.S. beef only from cattle younger than 20 months, but Seng is optimistic that age limit could be relaxed this year because of domestic and international pressures.
“If we could get some more access there beyond this 20 months, it would be huge. There is tremendous pent up demand in Japan,” he said.
China announced in December that it will lift its seven-year-old ban on U.S. beef, but provided few details. The country may need to import beef and pork to tame food price inflation.
U.S. agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack said talks are under way with China about offal products.
South Korea should again be an important market for U.S. beef and pork because it needs the imports to offset lost production caused by foot-and- mouth disease in its livestock herds.
“It is desperately in need of protein,” Seng said.
The country has culled 25 percent of its hog herd as its fight to halt spread of the disease.
“I think they are starting to get their arms around it, but they are not there yet,” Seng said.
Beef shipments to Egypt have resumed after coming to a halt at the outset of anti-government demonstrations.
“It looks like Egypt might be getting back to normal. They are starting to clear product again,” he said.
Egypt primarily buys beef livers and recently opened its market to all ages of U.S. beef, said Seng.
Saudi Arabia continues to be an important buyer of beef and beef variety meats, the latter including livers and internal organs.
