New
World
Global beef trade tends
to grow less than 1
percent in 2017, a fact
that shouldalso hold
true for 2018, according
to FAOprojections
T
he global beef trade in 2017
should consolidate a modest
increase of 0.8 percent, with
chances to reach 9 million
tons. The trend for 2018 is for
a similar increase throughout the year. The
expectation was announced by the Food
and Agriculture Organization of the United
Nations (FAO), whose officials monitor this
trade on a permanent basis. A smaller step
forward by the global economy, especially
in the developing countries, is curbing any
advances in consumption.
Despite the slight recovery in 2017, the
volume traded at global level will remain
below the amounts traded in 2015, when
a total of 9.155 million tons were absorbed
by the market. According to the report,
CHINA FACTOR
Amid the big import-
ers of bovine meat, China acts as the driving
force in global demand. For 2017, FAO sourc-
es project a 12 percent increase in China’s
beef purchases, which would make them
riseto1.6milliontons(18percentoftheglob-
al trade), having as main suppliers of the in-
crease countries like Brazil, Argentina and
Uruguay. Other countries likely to acquire
bigger volumes are Japan, South Korea and
Iran. Outside this hub, Chile, Mexico and the
European Union are likely to purchase more
beef. For the second year in a row, the Unit-
ed States, Egypt, Vietnam, Canada and Rus-
sia should reduce their beef imports.
the expansion in global sales will start in
North and South America, especially in the
United States, Argentina, Canada, Brazil
and Mexico. Shipments from the Europe-
an Unions and South Africa are equally on
the rise. The evolution of the sales in these
countries will make up for a possible de-
crease in Australia, New Zealand and India.
The forecast is for the United States to in-
creaseby6percentitspresenceintheinterna-
tional marketplace, with 1.3 million tons. The
performance lies on the pillar of a bigger na-
tional production and a drop in the competi-
tive countries inOceania. In spite of the reflec-
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