Small Increase in UK Fresh/Frozen Beef Imports

UK - Total UK imports of fresh/frozen beef increased by one per cent during the first four months of 2008 compared to the same period last year. According to a Livestock and Meat Commission (LMC) bulletin, a one per cent rise in the volume of Irish beef entering the UK and almost a 140 per cent increase in Uruguayan imports were the main reasons behind the small overall increase in imports to just over 79,200 tonnes.

7 July 2008

2 minute read

Europe

Uruguay overtook Brazil as the second largest beef supplier to the UK as they shifted their export focus from North America to the European market, due to the EU restrictions on Brazilian imports. Imports from Argentina rose by almost 50 per cent, but internal disputes between the Argentine Government and beef producers have somewhat limited their opportunities to take advantage of the absence of Brazilian beef in the EU.

UK Beef Imports (tonnes)
.	Jan-Apr 2006	Jan-Apr 2007	Jan-Apr 2008	% change 2008-2007	Jan/Apr Import Share
Fresh & Frozen	72,759	78,440	79,239	+1	-
from EU-27	57,987	60,880	62,903	+3	79%
from non EU-27	14,772	17,559	16,336	-7	21%
Main Sources
ROI	46,761	48,146	48,678	+1	61%
Uruguay	2,868	2,766	6,614	+139	8%
Increasing 07 to 08
Germany	4,066	3,683	3,933	+7	5%
Argentina	1,910	1,129	1,685	+49	2%
Decreasing 07 to 08
Brazil	7,231	9,599	5,540	-42	7%
The Netherlands	3,516	5,312	5,116	-4	6%
Australia	1,512	1,003	915	-9	1%

Processed imports drop 55 per cent

In contrast UK imports of processed beef have decreased by 55 per cent to 12,900 tonnes. Imports from ROI, the main supplier, fell by 30 per cent. There has been no imports of processed beef from Brazil this year, compared to 6,300 tonnes in the same period in 2007. Corned beef imports have fallen by just over 20 per cent this year to 12,550 tonnes.