S. Korea's imports of US beef rise 81.5% in first two months of 2011

South Korea's imports of U.S. beef rose drastically 81.5 percent to reach 20,340 tons in the first two months of this year, largely due to the country's severest outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease that has devastated its livestock industry, industry data showed Tuesday.


According to the data from the U.S. Meat Export Federation, South Korea imported 11,209 tons of beef from the United States in the first two months of last year.


This year's imports of U.S. beef in the first two months so far account for one-fifth of the total import volume in 2010, which stood at 1,001,816 tons. South Korea's imports of U.S. beef last year posted a 94 percent increase compared with the year before.


The continuing growth in South Korea's imports of U.S. beef comes as the country has been in the grip of the worst outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease that started in last November.


Over 3 million animals, mostly cattle and pigs, have been slaughtered due to foot-and-mouth disease.


South Korea had banned all beef imports from the U.S. in late 2003 after the first case of mad cow disease was confirmed.


South Korea agreed to partially lift a ban on U.S. beef imports in 2006, and after more negotiations, decided to resume imports of U.S. beef in 2008, which triggered wide public protests amid fears over mad cow disease.
(Source:http://news.xinhuanet.com)