Government eases import requirements for US beef

The Macau Government has decided to ease conditions for the importation of beef products from the United States and grant them full market access, according to the Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS), a body that is part of the American Department of Agriculture.
‘Prior to November 7, 2015, Macau only allowed market access for bone-in U.S. beef products originating from animals under 30 months of age and boneless beef from animals regardless of age. Following recent negotiations that opened the market to bone-in beef products derived from cattle over 30 months of age as well as ground beef and offal, regardless of age, Macau has granted full market access for U.S. beef products’, FAS explained in a report.
Usually the beef imported by Macau from the United States is shipped to the territory as transshipment through Hong Kong. However, some restrictions regarding some products still apply.
‘Mechanically separated meat, lean finely textured beef (LFTB), scrap meat, trimmings or other pieces (whether with or without bone) from skeletal muscle indistinguishable from beef trimmings, and product from advanced meat recovery systems remain ineligible for export to Macau’, it is noted.
According to the FAS report, last year Macau imported US$8.66 million-worth (MOP69.13 million) of beef and beef products from U.S., accounting for a market share of 27.8 per cent, and making the country the second largest supplier of beef products to the city. During 2014, the total value of imports of beef and beef products amounted to US$31.15 million, an increase of 35.1 per cent from US$23.05 million in 2013.
However, Brazil is the largest exporter of beef and beef products to the territory, ahead of the United States, having exported US$9.95 million to Macau during the last year and a share of 31.9 per cent. In 2014, Japan was the third largest exporter in the amount of US$3.25 million, which means a share of 10.4 per cent.