Beef exports from the UK continued to grow in March

The UK exported 12,600 tons of fresh and frozen beef in March, up 14% from February and up 46% from the same month a year ago, according to HMRC data, said Hannah Clark, Livestock Analyst at the Development Council. agriculture and horticulture (AHDB). Although the volume was significantly higher compared to last year, it was closer to the volume of exports in 2019 and 2020.

This means the UK shipped 30,800 tonnes of beef during the first quarter of the year, up 53% from the amount shipped in the same period a year ago, Clark writes in his analysis. As part of this, 9,000 tons were sent to Ireland, 7,000 tons to France and 5,600 tons to the Netherlands.

Growth was also seen in non-EU countries, especially Japan, CHINA and the United States .

“We expect more beef to be sold now than a year ago as Brexit has lowered volumes, especially in the first quarter of 2021,” Clarke said. “Shipments recovered to more typical levels in the second half of the year and this trend will continue through the end of 2022.”

In March, the UK imported 21,700 tonnes of fresh and frozen beef, down 45% from February but up 23% from the same month a year ago. Although imports in March were significantly lower than in February, they were closer to the January trend (+15% yoy). March volumes mean imports in the first quarter were 77,400 tons, up 73% from the same period in 2021. Again, some of this increase will be due to 2021 lows (and February highs), but also likely due to increased food service demand.

Almost all of the annual gains in the first quarter came from buying more beef from Ireland: 58,000 tons per quarter, up 60% (+21,700 tons) from last year. More beef was also imported from the Netherlands, Germany, France and Poland.