USMEF International Buyers Conference Product Showcase Registration Kit USMEF...
USMEF International Buyers Conference Product Showcase Registration Kit
USMEF South American Expo
Good News: Japanese Beef Consumption Increases
Bad News: Possible Safeguard Could Dampen U.S. Exports
Recovery of Japan’s beef market from BSE is expected to continue in 2003 as Japanese consumers increase their beef consumption, according to a USDA Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) report. But the disturbing news for U.S. beef exporters is that a possible Japanese beef safeguard could boost the tariff to 50% from 38.5%, according to the FAS Global Agricultural Information Network (GAIN) report. If implemented, this safeguard would likely hamper imports, slow the overall recovery and disrupt Japan’s beef market, says FAS.
The trigger level for the beef safeguard in 2003 would be relatively low, since the trigger is based on the previous year’s import levels; beef imports dropped considerably during the first quarter of Japan’s 2002 fiscal year (April - June). If imports recover to "normal" levels in 2003 as consumption continues to rebound, the safeguard would be triggered and a 50% duty would be assessed on beef imports until the end of the fiscal year (March 31, 2004).
The anticipated 2003 rebound for Japanese beef imports is due to expected increases in frozen beef shipments prior to the safeguard (April - June), as importers move supplies to avoid the higher duty. Once the duty was triggered, imports of chilled beef would likely drop and cause upward pressure on domestic Japanese beef prices.
The full FAS GAIN report is available at:
http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200302/145785238.pdf
Mexico
Antidumping Documents Available
On Jan 7, the Mexican government announced that an antidumping investigation was being initiated against imports of U.S. pork from April 1-September 30, 2002. A translation of the Mexico Ministry of Economy antidumping questionnaire is now available. It includes: general information and instructions, overviews in chart 1 and chart 2, definitions in “Annex” 2, 3 and 4, and forms “Annex 1” and “A.1-2” . Exporters and traders selling product to Mexico should review these documents and should consider whether to have their attorneys also review them. USMEF understands that the named companies selling product during the investigation period as well as any company that wants to try avoid being put into an “all others” category should fill out the forms and submit the requested data. Deadline for filing is Feb. 18. The official announcement is available online at http://www.segob.gob.mx/dof/dof_07-01-2003.pdf and begins on page 26 of this document. A preliminary translation – in which there may be still be interpretation errors – is available at http//www.usmef.org/Misc_News/03_0107_MexAntiDump_sp.pdf and a preliminary evaluation of the situation by the USDA Foreign Agricultural Service office in Mexico City is available at http://www.fas.usda.gov/gainfiles/200301/145785049.pdf.