US cattle prices not expected to increase
Thursday, 29/06/2006
US Agriculture Department officials say it will take years to recover from
Japan's mad cow-related ban on beef and producers there should not expect to
see massive price rises.
US Agriculture Department livestock analyst Ron Gustafson says Japan's
expected reopening of its market to US beef after it completes audits of US
plants next month, will not bring a huge upswing in US cattle prices.
Mr Gustafson says it will take years to sell pre-mad cow amounts of US beef
to Japan, which only buys certain cuts anyway.
"We don't sell whole carcasses to the Japanese or South Koreans, or anyone
we sell cuts that, largely, we don't have the large demand for here in the US -
short ribs, plates and so-forth - the fattier items," he said.
Beef trade is likely to come up in meetings in the US this week between
President George W Bush and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, since Japan
has not yet set a specific date to resume imports.
Source: National Rural News
http://www.abc.net.au/rura1/news/content/2006/s1674675.htm 6/30/2006
posted by Dr. Harlan Hughes 9:51 AM[edit]