Korea 5th Largest US Beef Importer
By Kim Hyun-cheol
Staff Reporter
Korea imported a total of 57,267 metric tons of beef and other meat products during the six-month period starting last July, the U.S. Meat Export Federation said, making Korea the fifth largest U.S. beef importer. Last July, Korea resumed U.S. beef imports after months of candlelit vigils.
With Mexico topping the list with 396,095 tons, only Canada, Egypt and Japan were ahead of Korea in U.S. beef imports.
Korea's resumption of U.S. beef imports are adding to U.S. ranchers' pockets to the tune of $25 to $30 per head, as Korea is importing Asian cuts, including short ribs, chuck rolls, femur bones and intestines, which are unwanted by U.S. consumers, the U.S. beef exporters' lobby group says.
Even though big retail chains have not yet begun promoting U.S. beef due to public concerns of safety and potential consumer boycotts, the group says that it "hopes to resume the promotions as consumer concerns subside and retailers recognize U.S. beef's competitiveness in terms of quality and price.''
Big retail chains are the largest potential buyers in Korea, as the retail sector has grown considerably over the past five years.
Exporters of U.S. beef need to be strategic in Korea by "fostering buyer loyalty" and reassuring customers of "the safety and integrity of the American beef production system," the group suggested.
U.S. dealers would benefit from providing more information on safeguards in place in the U.S. beef industry to mitigate the risk from future cases of mad cow disease, as well as contributing to and supporting U.S. government initiatives to eliminate trade restrictive policies in Korea, it added.
American beef officially reentered the Korean market in July last year, about one month after Seoul and Washington completed a tentative agreement to guarantee the safety of U.S. beef to be exported to Korea.
The two countries previously confirmed in April the reopening of the market to U.S. beef and beef product exports from cattle of all ages since their being banned in 2007.