Tuesday, June 16th, 2015

Uruguay has become a significant player in the global beef trade, exporting around 75 per cent of its production.
According to the FAO, Uruguay has the highest beef consumption per head in the world but, with a population of only 3.3 million people, exports play an important role. With Uruguayan beef production for 2015 forecast to increase to the second highest on record, trade in the early part of this year has been buoyant.
According to the National Meat Institute, INAC, Uruguayan beef exports in the first three months of the year increased 15 per cent on the year earlier to 63,600 tonnes. With Increased production the wide access to global markets is paying off, despite a drop off in trade to Russia.
China displaced Russia as the key market for Uruguayan beef last year. This shift in importance of China for has continued this year so far. In the first quarter of the year the Chinese market took over 50 per cent more beef from Uruguay, compared with the same period last year. China accounted for almost 40 per cent of all Uruguyan trade, whereas two years ago it was just 20 per cent.
China is still expected to be the engine for export growth for many exporters on the back of the rising demand for red meat, along with other Asian countries, the Middle East and North Africa. It has historically only imported Uruguayan offals and small volumes of inexpensive boneless beef cuts. However, aggressive promotions of its healthier grass-fed, antibiotic and hormone-free beef has stimulated interest in the product. Uruguay now ranks second to Australia as its top supplier. With a whole range of product in the mix, exporters are confident that exports to China could rise even further.

The US has been the second most important market to Uruguay this year, with shipments in the January to March period up 75 per cent on the year earlier. In contrast, supplies to Russia fell by 40 per cent.
http://beefandlamb.ahdb.org.uk/market-intelligence-news/growing-uruguayan-beef-exports/