U.S. Beef Trade Still Stymied In Indonesia
U.S. beef exports to Indonesia plummeted 90% last year when that country imposed severely restrictive import quotas.
August 7, 2013
In its peak year of 2011, Indonesia was a top 10 volume market for U.S. beef and beef variety meat exports at 17,847 metric tons (mt) with an export value of more than $28 million. With a population of more than 250 million, it was an especially important destination for beef variety meat, ranking seventh-largest in volume (12,582 mt) and eighth-largest in value ($11.4 million).
U.S. exports plummeted 90% last year when Indonesia imposed severely restrictive import quotas in an effort to bolster domestic beef production. Import permits were cut even further in 2013, and U.S. exports (through May) have reached only 358 mt valued at $3.8 million.
U.S. exporters aren’t alone in their frustration. Indonesia’s imports from all sources plunged from more than 140,000 mt in 2010 to less than 42,000 mt in 2012. Through April, the 2013 import pace dropped another 28%.