Beef exports boosted by rise in sales of offal

A 40 per cent year-on-year increase in beef exports from the UK was confirmation that buyers from abroad have a “growing appreciation of the quality of the product and the fast and reliable food supply chain,” according to Jean-Pierre Garnier, the head of exports with EBLEX, the English meat promotion body.

In the first six months of this year, 67,348 tonnes of fresh and frozen beef left these shores for Europe and other parts of the world, with an expectation that figure will hit the 140,000 tonne mark by the end of the year.

In addition, about 18,000 tonnes of offal will go abroad this year to new emerging markets, giving a total beef export value of €720 million (about £630m) for 2011.

Garnier predicted 20 per cent growth next year.

Confirming the increased interest in offal, Lauren Vernet, market development manager with Quality Meat Scotland, said it was not just Far Eastern traders that were buying such parts of the animal carcases.

“We now have demand from several African countries for tendons and cattle feet,” he said. The latter product is boiled and then pickled before being ready for the consumer.