Mexico Takes Over As U.S. Beef Exports Leader in 2002

In 2002, Mexico became the No. 1 destination for exports of U.S. beef and beef variety meat, when measured by volume, overtaking Japan.  U.S. beef exports to Mexico broke the record for the sixth successive year. The United States exported 349,900 metric tons of beef and beef variety meats to Mexico, 12 percent more than in 2001 at a value of $854.3 million, up 10 percent from the previous year.

Mexico’s new position comes from U.S. industry efforts to increase sales there and the decrease in Japanese beef consumption following the September 2001 discovery of BSE in Japan’s domestic herd. Japan remains the largest market for the U.S. beef industry in value terms and is expected to be the largest market for U.S. beef in 2003. 

The long-term forecast for the growth of U.S. beef exports is very promising due to a growing population and an expanding economy in Mexico. In 2002, the U.S. share of Mexico’s beef import market was 80 percent.