Italy gets the taste for beef

Beef exports to the Italian market appear to be an early success story, according to the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX).

An informal EBLEX survey of exporters suggests that around 200 tonnes of beef a week - a significant proportion of which was prime beef - made its way to cities such as Rome, Verona and Milan during early June.

English beef is now exported to 11 countries including Benelux, France and Germany.

Jean-Pierre Garnier, EBLEX Export Manager, said: "Our Italian customers are telling us we are producing just what the market needs and this encouraging news proves that point."