MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay lamb exports reach 19.647 tons to October 2008

Uruguay mutton and lamb exports totaled 19.647 tons in the first ten months of 2008, mainly to Mercosur, European Union and the Middle East, according to reports from the country's National Meat Institute.

This represents a 20% increase in volume and 55% value in value, from the figures in 2007. Sheep numbers slaughtered in the ten month period were 1.389 million, of which 42% were lambs; ewes 33% and wethers 23. Uruguayan authorities also announced that the process to have access to the United States market with lamb and mutton "was advancing" according to schedule. During a brief visit to Uruguay in 2007 former US president George W Bush promised he would open formal procedures for local lamb and mutton to be allowed into the US market. This was further confirmed during a meeting last year between Uruguay's Foreign Affairs minister Gonzalo Fernandez and the US Secretary of Agriculture Ed Schaffer. Uruguay meat exports totaled 1.3 billion US dollars for the first 10 months of 2008, which is a 55% increase in value on the same time last year. Beef exports were 319.618 tons, the main market was Russia, capitalizing on the fact that Argentina were out of the market for 5 months this year. The second market was the European Union, followed by processed meat to the USA. In related news Argentina's Food Sanitation and Quality Office reported that ovine meat sales during 2008 totaled 5.946 tons valued at 22.48 million US dollars which represents a 4% volume and 24% value increase over 2007. The European Union (Spain and Britain) together with Israel and Brazil were the main markets for Argentine lamb.