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U.S. Meat Export Federation report lamb exports down worldwide

December statistics released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) reports U.S. lamb exports were sluggish in 2010, dropping by 7 percent in volume (10,682 metric tons) and 25 percent in value ($20.6 million) compared to 2009. Exports to Canada and the Caribbean were down sharply, while exports to Mexico achieved a slight increase. Markets showing promise in 2010 included the Bahamas, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica and Hong Kong – all of which posted substantial gains in both volume and value.

USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng noted that while the 2010 results for beef and pork exports were outstanding, he still sees room for substantial growth in the coming year.

“While U.S. red meat exports are either breaking or approaching new record-high, we still see opportunities for growth – especially in well-targeted niches,” he said. “Over the past year, USMEF has worked to identify opportunities for export growth in key markets, and we are beginning to see the results of those efforts in retail, foodservice and further processing sectors across the globe.”