Despite no longer being a member of the EU, the vast majority of UK beef trade is still done with EU member states, with sales outside Europe remaining at fairly negligible amounts.

The latest UK customs data published by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) to the end of October 2022, shows that the UK imported 192,769t of fresh and frozen beef over the first 10 months of 2022, of which over 95% is from EU countries.

Total imports are down slightly on the 195,367t from the same period in 2021, and there are some subtle changes in the supplier mix.

The Republic of Ireland (ROI) remains the biggest importer, accounting for 71% of all UK imports (137,202t). However, Irish sales are down 10% in 2022, and in the same period in 2021, ROI accounted for 78% of all imports.

In 2022, some of that Irish product has been displaced by Germany. It has jumped up the list to become the second-largest UK beef importer, with 12,613t, treble what it achieved in the same period in 2021. The Netherlands is next at 12,370t (up 11%), followed by Poland at 11,956t.

Total non-EU beef imports to the UK total just 8,528t, although that figure is up 24% on the same period in 2021. Brazil has the biggest share at 2,993t (up 37%) followed by Uruguay at 2,060t.

Exports

In terms of trade in the other direction, the UK has exported 103,317t of fresh and frozen beef in the 10 months to the end of October 2022, up 26% on the 82,081t from the same period in 2021.

The data suggest that UK exporters have become accustomed to new post-Brexit trading arrangements, with the increase in 2022 down to more tonnes of beef being sent to the EU. Product moved to ROI is up 16% to 30,861t, while France is also an important destination, taking 25,434t, double the figure from 2021.

The Netherlands is next at 17,882t, up 84%, followed by Germany at 2,887t.

Non-EU

Despite all the Brexit rhetoric about the UK becoming a leader in global trade, it hasn’t made much inroads when it comes to selling beef outside the EU.

The biggest export destination is Hong Kong at 2,939t, followed by Japan at 2,762t, South Africa at 1,954t and the Philippines at 1,562t. Exports to China are at 1,153t.

Overall, UK exports of beef to non-EU countries total just 15,119t to the end of October 2022, a reduction of 36% on the same period in 2021.

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