Audio: U.S. Pork, Beef Capitalizing on Panama FTA

November 4, 2013

Nov. 1 marked the one-year anniversary of the U.S.-Panama Trade Agreement entering into force. The Office of U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) issued a news release discussing the growth in U.S. manufacturing and agricultural exports to Panama since the agreement was implemented. Red meat exports to Panama contributed positively to these results, making the following year-over-year (January through August) gains in 2013:

• U.S. beef and beef variety meat exports are up 63 percent in volume (to 850 mt) and 51 percent in value (to $6.3 million)

• U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports are up 75 percent in volume (to 5,785 mt) and 59 percent in value (to $13.2 million)

In the attached audio report, Gerardo Rodriguez, U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) director of trade development for Central America and the Dominican Republic discusses the promotional efforts that are helping drive pork and beef export growth to Panama, including educational campaigns USMEF conducted with Panamanian importers well before the trade agreement took effect.

TRANSCRIPT:

Joe Schuele: November 1st marked the one year anniversary of the U.S.-Panama Trade Agreement. In this U.S. Meat Export Federation report, we speak with Gerardo Rodriquez, USMEF director of trade development for Central America and the Dominican Republic, about the growth of U.S. pork and Beef exports to Panama, since the agreement was implemented.

Gerardo Rodriguez: Importers in Panama are really, really excited and really open to U.S. pork, and beef products as well. In the case of pork we have been developing new channels of distribution of the products. In the beginning it was just being used as a raw material for processed products. But now we are also selling pork in foodservice and retail. Actually we are launching a pork retail promotion with one of the biggest retail chains in the country. We are using the U.S. pork cuts, and we are adapting those pork cuts into the Panamanian cuisine. One of the main products is pork tails; it is very popular, one of the most popular products from pork coming from the U.S. that is being sold into this retail chain.

Regarding beef, on the high quality product choice and, there has been high demand. And you most likely think that it is mainly for food service, which is obviously the main channel that sells this product, but amazingly it has also been in retail. So there are a lot of opportunities we are working with, different channels, and we have a lot of expectations for next year.

Joe Schuele: Rodriguez credits much of the success to the ground work that was laid long before the agreement took effect.

Gerardo Rodriquez: Three years before the FDA was put in place we were working behind the scenes with our key importers, now, since the FDA has signed and approved it, it has been easier for us to keep educating and doing the points of self-promotions, and different activities in the marketplace.

Joe Schuele: For more on this and other trade issues please visit USMEF.org. For the U.S. Meat Export Federation, I’m Joe Schuele.

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The U.S. Meat Export Federation (www.USMEF.org) is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry. It is funded by USDA; the beef, pork, lamb, corn and soybean checkoff programs, as well as its members representing nine industry sectors: beef/veal producing & feeding, pork producing & feeding, lamb producing & feeding, packing & processing, purveying & trading, oilseeds producing, feedgrains producing, farm organizations and supply & service organizations.

USMEF complies with all equal opportunity, non-discrimination and affirmative action measures applicable to it by contract, government rule or regulation or as otherwise provided by law.