AUSTRALIA: Sharp rise in Australian beef exports after US BSE case

Australian beef exports to Japan and Korea have jumped to near record highs due to ongoing restrictions on imports of US beef following the detection of a case of BSE, or mad cow disease, in the US in December.

According to meat marketer Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), Australia’s total beef and veal exports rose 9% to 76,598 tonnes in March compared to the year-ago period, reported Reuters.

Australia’s beef exports to Japan rose 29% in March to 29,713 tonnes shipped weight compared to March last year, while exports to Korea rose 36% to 9,485 tonnes.

Exports to Japan rose 11% to 88,430 tonnes in the first quarter of 2004, while exports to Korea rose 6% to 18,276 tonnes.

Shipments to the US, Indonesia, Taiwan and the EU also rose in March, MLA said.