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Japan to lower beef tariff

Japan is expected to lift its 50 percent so-called safeguard tariff on U.S. frozen beef by the end of the month.  The extra tariff – triggered last August by a large volume of imported beef entering Japan – will drop to 38.5 percent at the end of Japan’s Fiscal Year, according to Joe Schuele with the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

“It’s not often that you celebrate a 38.5 percent tariff,” Schuele told Brownfield Ag News Friday, “but it’s better than 50 percent.”

Japan’s importers and consumers still maintained a high volume of U.S. beef imports despite the added tariff, but he says the tariff drop is still good news.

“You never want to see what’s already a high tariff go up by another 11.5 percent,” said Schuele.

The latest data show U.S. beef exports to Japan earlier this year jumped 7 percent in volume and 19 percent in value compared to the same period in 2017.

AUDIO: Joe Schuele (11 min. MP3)

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