News
Philippines a growing market for US red meat
Meat exports to the Philippines grew exponentially in 2018. Joel Haggard with the US Meat Export Federation says the Philippines is one of the fastest-growing red meat import markets in the world. “The overall market trend consists of increased meat consumption and trade,” he says. “On a tonnage basis the country is already the 6th largest meat import market. Last year’s total imports surged to approximately 850 tonnes, nearly 20 percent above 2017.”
He says US exports were valued at more than 200-million-dollars, which was a record level.
But, the country remains poor, and much of US exports consist of lower-cost muscle cuts and variety meats. “With a fifth of its population below the Philippines definition of a poverty line, the majority of the proteins that are imported and further processed into low-cost times like hot dogs, canned meat, and formed ham products,” he says.”
Haggard says rapid economic growth is generating more demand for higher-end products.
Add Comment