EU beef imports ‘to grow in 2006’

THE EU Beef Forecasting Group has predicted that the import requirement for most continental member states will grow in 2006 to compensate for an expected fall in domestic production in member states.

Production in Italy, France, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Spain and Portugal is expected to be lower in 2006 than for the past year. The decline should provide opportunity for exporters, but the effect of the ending of the British ban on over 30-month animals is expected to undermine the full effect.

From a total of EU-15 perspective the decline is expected to offset all but 40,000 tonnes of the return of cow beef to the British market in 2006, but the gap between rising consumption and production will leave a market deficit of around 350,000 tonnes next year.