Lamb Exporter Excited about New Opportunities in Asia

For many years, U.S. lamb has lacked access to several key Asian markets due to restrictions related to scrapie. But the outlook in Asia is improving, with Taiwan reopening to U.S. lamb earlier this year and Japanese regulators also making progress on the issue.

In this U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) audio report, Faith Garrard, export coordinator for Superior Farms, discusses the company’s recent reintroduction of U.S. lamb in Taiwan and the opportunities she sees developing in this market. She is also encouraged by the progress being made in Japan, noting the excellent growth potential for U.S. lamb in Japan’s thriving tourism and hospitality sector.


TRANSCRIPT:

Joe Schuele: For many years, U.S. lamb has lacked access to most Asian markets, but the industry is making progress, recently regaining access to Taiwan and a possible reopening to Japan later this year. In this U.S. Meat Export Federation report, Faith Garrard, export coordinator for Superior Farms, explains that these markets offer exciting new opportunities for the company.

Faith Garrard: Market access has been pretty slim for us in the Asian markets, specifically related to scrapie. We lost a lot of access to those markets in the early 2000s, but as time has gone on and we’ve pushed forward, USMEF, the USDA and our industry, we’ve started to see some glimmers of hope, specifically with our recent access to Taiwan. We were able to have lamb arrive in time for Food Taipei, which is Taiwan’s largest food show, and there was actually great feedback. Our biggest competition in Taiwan is New Zealand, and then Australia, so we wanted to make sure we differentiated ourselves from them. And so we sent things like cap-off racks but we made sure to do American-sized, and other things like French hind shanks and French loin chops just to show them a different opportunity. I think primarily for the first few years we’re going to see it in the high-end hotels and foodservice, and we’re hoping that as time goes on those that come to Taiwan can also find it in retail markets. I think our primary focus for the next two years is going to be high-end foodservice.

Joe Schuele: While Japan remains closed to U.S. lamb, Garrard is pleased to see this issue making its way through Japan’s regulatory process.

Faith Garrard: Taiwan was a great win for us, both us and the American lamb industry and the U.S. meat industry, but we’re really excited about the opening of the Japanese market. Japan is where we are really going to be able to gain a lot of business. There’s a tourism boom that is expected to increase consumption and Japan is going to be a good place to merchandise our products.

Joe Schuele: For more on this and other trade issues, please visit USMEF.org. For the U.S. Meat Export Federation, I’m Joe Schuele.