Japan-United States floods market with cheap beef.

JAPAN-AMERCANS PUSHING BEEF.

The US Meat Export Federation (USMEF) announced at a press conference in Toyko this week that US beef exports to Japan could reach 100,000 tonnes (cwt) in 2009.

The president of USMEF, Philip Seng, said during the conference that the appreciation of the Japanese yen, combined with the improved safety perception among Japanese consumers of US beef will assist the increase in US beef exports to Japan. He also expressed his anticipation of the progress in the relaxation of the current age limitation (all beef to be sourced from cattle less than 21 months of age).

According to the USMEF website, the US exported 69,274 tonnes cwt of beef and 4,845 tonnes of beef offal to Japan in 2008, up 55% and 139% year-on-year, respectively, but still only 20% of the level in 2003 (prior to the discovery of the US’s first case of BSE and the subsequent import ban in Japan). It is unclear whether the reported target of 100,000 tonnes includes offal volumes.