USMEF Hosts Egyptian Beef Trade – Introduces New Middle East Partners
Published: Oct 02, 2012
The most influential members of Egypt’s beef industry met with USMEF staff, American embassy personnel based in Egypt and USMEF’s new representatives in Cairo for a reception last week to discuss opportunities for growth in the market and the dramatic growth in beef consumption in the region.
Jonathan Gressel, Foreign Agriculture Service agricultural minister counselor at the American embassy in Cairo, addressed the group on the importance of the partnership between the U.S. beef industry and the Egyptian trade while highlighting the value of USMEF’s expanded presence, both in Egypt and the Middle East region as a whole. Funding for the reception was provided through USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP).
USMEF’s new representative in the region, Cairo-based Agri Marketing International, was represented by Amr Abd El Gliel, president, who introduced his organization and its capabilities to support the Egyptian trade.
“Despite the unrest in the region, demand for U.S. beef in the Middle East remains strong and the potential for growth is outstanding,” said Dan Halstrom, USMEF senior vice president of marketing and communications. “Continued economic growth combined with declining self-sufficiency are driving demand for higher quality proteins, not only at foodservice but in the retail and further processing sectors as well. The addition of Agri Marketing International will help us serve that growing audience.”
USMEF’s resources and contacts in the Middle East will be enhanced with the addition of Agri Marketing International, which will cover Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and North Africa. It joins USMEF’s current Middle East representative, AMFI (Arab Marketing & Finance, Inc.), based in Beirut, Lebanon. AMFI will continue to represent USMEF in areas including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and the Commonwealth of Independent States (including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan).
The Middle East was the No. 3 market for U.S. beef exports by volume in 2011, buying 175,181 metric tons (386.2 million pounds) of product valued at $355.9 million, increases of 30 percent in volume and 36 percent in value over 2010. Through the first seven months of 2012, the volume of beef exports to the region is down 5 percent but export value is up 8 percent.
While the Middle East is primarily a beef market, its purchases of U.S. pork rose sharply in 2011: a 204 percent spike in volume (to 1,459 metric tons or 3.2 million pounds) and 91 percent jump in value (to $3.3 million).
Agri Marketing officially joined the USMEF roster Oct. 1. They can be contacted at:
Jonathan Gressel, Foreign Agriculture Service agricultural minister counselor at the American embassy in Cairo, addressed the group on the importance of the partnership between the U.S. beef industry and the Egyptian trade while highlighting the value of USMEF’s expanded presence, both in Egypt and the Middle East region as a whole. Funding for the reception was provided through USDA’s Market Access Program (MAP).
USMEF’s new representative in the region, Cairo-based Agri Marketing International, was represented by Amr Abd El Gliel, president, who introduced his organization and its capabilities to support the Egyptian trade.
“Despite the unrest in the region, demand for U.S. beef in the Middle East remains strong and the potential for growth is outstanding,” said Dan Halstrom, USMEF senior vice president of marketing and communications. “Continued economic growth combined with declining self-sufficiency are driving demand for higher quality proteins, not only at foodservice but in the retail and further processing sectors as well. The addition of Agri Marketing International will help us serve that growing audience.”
USMEF’s resources and contacts in the Middle East will be enhanced with the addition of Agri Marketing International, which will cover Egypt, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and North Africa. It joins USMEF’s current Middle East representative, AMFI (Arab Marketing & Finance, Inc.), based in Beirut, Lebanon. AMFI will continue to represent USMEF in areas including the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Kuwait and the Commonwealth of Independent States (including Armenia, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan).
The Middle East was the No. 3 market for U.S. beef exports by volume in 2011, buying 175,181 metric tons (386.2 million pounds) of product valued at $355.9 million, increases of 30 percent in volume and 36 percent in value over 2010. Through the first seven months of 2012, the volume of beef exports to the region is down 5 percent but export value is up 8 percent.
While the Middle East is primarily a beef market, its purchases of U.S. pork rose sharply in 2011: a 204 percent spike in volume (to 1,459 metric tons or 3.2 million pounds) and 91 percent jump in value (to $3.3 million).
Agri Marketing officially joined the USMEF roster Oct. 1. They can be contacted at:
- Amr Abd El Gliel (president and head of Cairo office)
Phone: 20-2-22-90-70-75
Mobile: 20-100-95-37-777
a.abdelgliel@agrimarketingint.com - Lina Kanaan (managing director)
Phone: 961-5-95-33-65
Mobile: 961-3-077-657
linakanaan@agrimarketingint.com