Japan lifts all restrictions on US beef
At the end of last week, US Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue announced that all the restrictions of US beef exports to Japan were lifted immediately. This will pave the way for expanded beef sales to Japan by up to $200 million annually, according to the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
"While most of the US beef shipped to Japan will continue to be from fed cattle under 30 months of age, the opportunities for over-30-month beef cuts and beef variety meat are significant. Japanese buyers from the pre-BSE era are very familiar with these opportunities, and USMEF has been educating many others who entered the industry over the past 15 to 20 years.
USMEF estimates that removal of the cattle age restriction will increase exports to Japan 7 to 10%, or by $150 million to $200 million per year. Beef muscle cuts from over-30-month cattle that are most likely to achieve success with Japanese buyers include short plate, chuckeye rolls, short ribs, middle meats, clods and briskets. Beef variety meat items most likely to be in demand include outside skirts, hanging tenders, mountain chain tripe, tongues, abomasum and intestines. The ability to use beef from over-30-month cattle will also lower costs for companies exporting processed beef products to Japan", said USMEF President, Dan Halstrom in a statement.
Last month, the US exported 74,000 tonnes of beef to Japan, the largest market overall, according to official data and another major step it will consist in getting a Free Trade Agreement between the two countries. "US beef needs to be on a level playing field in Japan. So USMEF is also anxious to see progress in the US-Japan trade negotiations", added Mr Halstrom.
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