Beef and Sheep Export Trade Continues to Grow
2010-06-25

Exports of both beef and sheepmeat from the UK have continued to grow over the past year, reveal the latest analyses of official trade data by EBLEX – the industry body for beef and lamb levy payers. However, the pace of expansion has slowed markedly, partly as a result of less favourable exchange rates.

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HM Revenue and Customs figures show total UK beef and sheepmeat exports of around 177,000 tonnes for the year ending March 2010. This compares with just under 170,000 tonnes the previous year and only 135,000 tonnes in 2007/8.

While the total national export tonnage has risen by more than 30% over the two years, the figures confirm the vast majority of this growth was between 2007/8 and 2008/9, with overall volumes increasing by only around 4% in the most recent fiscal year.

Within this the sheep sector has seen a 2008/9 to 2009/10 increase of 6% to around 92,000 tonnes whereas beef exports have grown by just 2% to 85,000 tonnes. The fact that the sterling value of both beef and sheepmeat exports rose by 11% in this time underlines the success of recent EBLEX-led marketing efforts to strengthen demand for higher value products, in particular.

UK Beef and Sheepmeat Export Volumes 2007/8 – 2009/10 (HMRC)

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