Beef imports expected to rise thanks to robust early-year demand said the latest projection of US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Officials from USDA announced that due to a drought that hit an area where a large portion of the U.S. cattle inventory is located, which is likely affecting the timing of placements of feeder cattle in feedlots, the production is expected to decrease. “As a result of higher late-2017 placements and relatively slower growth in the 2017 calf crop, the forecast for 2018 commercial beef production was lowered from last month to 27.7 billion pounds”, informed USDA.
Beef imports are forecast to be higher in 2018, thanks to robust early-year demand. No change is forecast for beef exports. US beef export markets are Asia (66%), Mexico (15%), Canada (11%), Central/South America and the Caribbean (5%), EU (2%) and another 2% to the rest of the world.
