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The US Meat Exporters Federation (USMEF) this week released the December export figures which showed that 121,429t of beef worth $991.8m (€870m) was exported for the month.
When this is added to the rest of the year, it means that the US exported 1.44m tonnes, 15% higher than 2020 and 7% above the previous record which was set in 2018.
The value of these exports was also a record at $10.58bn (€9.280bn), a massive 38% higher than 2020 and 27% better than the previous record value, also set in 2018.
Markets
Asia is the main export market for US beef, with South Korea, Japan and China/Hong Kong all spending over $2m (€1.754bn) on US beef imports in 2021.
Japan is the biggest market, taking 320,737t in 2021, a 5% increase on the previous year, with a value of $2.376bn (€2.084bn), 22% higher than the previous year.
Exports to Japan could have been higher had the safeguard mechanism of full tariffs not been applied in March and April.
The growth story for US beef in 2021 was China which took 190,803t
South Korea is the second-largest export market by volume at 280,143t, up 14% on the previous year with a value $2.382bn (€2.089bn), which is 38% higher than 2020 and makes it top value export market for US beef in 2021.
The growth story for US beef in 2021 was China which took 190,803t of US beef, three and a half times more than 2020 and worth $1.59bn (€1.395bn), which is more than four times the value of the previous year.
The EU was a tiny export market for US beef, taking just over 14,000t in 2021.
The US has had a long-established presence in the premium grain-fed beef market in the more affluent Asian countries and this was increased in 2021.
Their competitors in this space are Australia and to a lesser extent Canada and New Zealand, although the latter also fits into the grass-fed category where the South American countries are the main players.
Irish beef is struggling to achieve a meaningful presence in this area. Looking at US sales to China of 190,000t, it is incredible to think that as recently as May 2020, Irish beef exports to China were running ahead of the US.
There is no sign of the Irish suspension being lifted for China, so it remains out of bounds, as does South Korea, where the export approval process is grinding along.
There has been some limited progress in Japan, although volumes were down in January to November from 3,700t in 2020 to just over 3,000t in 2021.
This is the region of the world where there is future growth potential for beef sales. Irish exporters have succeeded in establishing a strong presence in dairy and pigmeat.
With a farmgate price in the US either on par or even ahead of Ireland at present, will 2022 be the year that Irish beef exports secure meaningful growth in Japan and get the door opened to South Korea and reopened to China?
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