Meat + Poultry - July 2004 - 14

Australian beef exports are surging
Australia's beef exports are rising as strong demand continues to
boost shipments, according to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture's Foreign
Agricultural Service. However, total beef exports during the first five
months of 2004 (341,383 metric tonnes, shipped weight) are up less
than one percent from the same period a year earlier.
Monthly beef exports in May reached the highest level thus far
in 2004, up nine percent from
April and five percent higher when compared to May
2003. Australia's beef exports
in 2004 have totaled 45,965
tonnes in January; 67,266
tonnes in February; 76,598
tonnes in March; 71,476
tonnes in April; and 80,078
tonnes in May (see Table).
Beef exports to Japan and
South Korea are up sharply in
the first five months of 2004,
while exports destined for the
United States and Canada
are lower, versus the previous year. Beef exports to Japan during the
first five months of 2004 totaled 147,345 tonnes, 31 percent higher
than a year earlier, while shipments to South Korea totaled 38,907
tonnes, up 39 percent.
In this five-month period, Japan replaced the U.S. as Australia's

largest beef export market, in volume terms. For North America, January 2004 -May 2004 shipments to the U.S. totaled 121,724 tonnes,
down nine percent, while exports to Canada totaled 2,519 tonnes, 88
percent lower than the 20,635 tonnes shipped a year earlier.
Australia's beef exports to Japan and South Korea year-to-date
are 35,000 tonnes and 11,000 tonnes higher, respectively, than the
comparable period of 2003.
Export prospects to these
markets for the remainder of
the year will depend on developments related to the reopening of these markets to
U.S. beef. A more prolonged
absence of U.S. beef in Japan will likely result in Australia's 2004 beef exports to
Japan rising more than the
50,000 to 75,000 tonnes
(carcass weight equivalents)
Exports to Australia's other
leading Asian markets have
dipped thus far in 2004. Beef shipments to Taiwan, Indonesia and the
Philippines dropped seven percent, 43 percent and 72 percent, respectively, during the first five months of 2004. Presumably, beef that
would have been exported to these destinations is being diverted to
Japan and South Korea.

New ruminant disease concerns British
The United Kingdom's Dept. for Food, Environment & Rural Affairs
announced in early June that the country's Veterinary Laboratories
Agency has recorded what is possibly a new condition in ruminants.
DEFRA's Chief Veterinary Officer, Debby Reynolds, asked the government's Health Protection Agency to undertake a risk assessment
as a matter of urgency.
In late 2003, a dairy cow suffering partial leg paralysis died at a
farm in Northern England. According to DEFRA officials, the animal's
death was initially suspected to have been caused by botulism. However, tests on the animal at the V.L.A.'s Penrith laboratory showed microscopy lesions suggesting a viral infection of the brain.
Officials report there was no evidence of a transmissible spongiform encephalopathy nor were the lesions consistent with other
known diseases such as rabies. A number of possible virological
causes were followed up but none proved positive.
According to DEFRA, over the past 10 years, 21 similar cases
from 13 premises have been identified by V.L.A. as a result of their
examination of routine submissions and a similar pathological condition has also been recorded in Switzerland. That said, concern surrounding this latest case prompted DEFRA to raise the matter to the

MEAT&POULTRY

U.K. Zoonoses Group in April 2004, a high level forum chaired by the
U.K. Chief Medical Officers, whose mission includes investigating
new, emerging diseases. In addition, H.P.A., which also has a human
health focus, is to lead a risk assessment on the new condition.
As would be expected given the sensitivities surrounding animal
diseases in the U.K., the media has been quick to pick up on the story. DEFRA's Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Fred Landeg, has been
widely quoted as asking for a sense of proportion indicating, there is
no evidence to suggest there is any risk to humans, but that scientists are not yet ruling it out.

F.M.D. discovery prompts
Brazilian meat ban
The discovery of foot-and-mouth disease in Brazil has prompted
Russia to ban the import of Brazilian beef and pork. Government officials in Brazil are currently attempting to "regionalize" the outbreak
so meat products originating from other regions of the country will
not be banned.

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JULY 2004

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Meat + Poultry - July 2004

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