MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Uruguay’s beef and lamb exports up in value but down in volume

he average ton price for beef jumped from 2.794 USD to 3.893 USD

Uruguay’s beef exports in the first four months of 2011 have been lower in volume but higher in revenue compared to the same period a year ago. Something similar is happening with lamb although the fall in volume was even greater.

According to Uruguay’s Meats Institute, INAC, sales of beef and lamb and other meats overseas totalled 582 million US dollars, with beef exports increasing 7% in value, 475 million USD while the volume dropped 25% to 122.011 tons. Lamb and mutton exports dropped 8% in US dollars (25.6 million) and 37% in volume (5.516 tons).

Regarding price per ton, beef soared from 2.794 US dollars in 2010 to an average 3.893 USD in the first four months of 2011. For lamb and mutton the average jumped from 3.179 USD per ton in 2010 to 4.568 USD.

Regarding volume Russia absorbed 34% of Uruguay’s beef exports, the EU, 19%, Nafta (US, Mexico and Canada) 14%, Mercosur, 9% and Israel, 8%. As to value, the EU leads with 31.5% followed by Russia, 25.1%; Nafta, 10.8%; Mercosur, 10.4% and Israel, 8.1%. In both cases the list is completed by Venezuela, 5% and 4.1% and China, 4% and 2.1%.

The INAC report also points out that in the January first to May 14 period, a total of 793.831 head of cattle were slaughtered in abattoirs (49% cows and 49% steers) which is 14% less that in the same period of 2010. Regarding sheep, 353.517 were sent to abattoirs (41% ewes, 34% lambs and 16% mutton) which represents a drop of 24% compared to a year ago.

In the first four months of this year Uruguay’s meats exports totalled 147.545 tons of which, 4.039 horse meat; 2.980 lamb and mutton; 2.748 chicken while the rest was beef and trimmings.