Red Meat Exports to Colombia Booming, but Obstacles Remain

2017 was a tremendous year for U.S. pork and beef exports to Colombia. Through November, pork exports to Colombia were up 65 percent year-over-year (to 63,583 metric tons) and valued at just under $150 million (up 66 percent). U.S. beef exports increased 28 percent year-over-year in volume (4,818 metric tons) and 15 percent in value ($14.7 million).

However, as U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) Technical Services Manager Cheyenne McEndaffer explains, red meat exports to Colombia still face significant technical barriers. She works regularly with U.S. exporters and Colombian importers to ensure that products are not delayed or rejected upon arrival in Colombia, due to such issues as labeling and documentation, or damaged boxes that may not clear inspection. McEndaffer notes that transportation and infrastructure issues also present obstacles in Colombia, especially for chilled pork and beef.

TRANSCRIPT:

Joe Schuele: 2017 was a record breaking year for U.S. pork and beef exports to Colombia, but there are still technical barriers that need to be overcome in this rapidly growing market. U.S. Meat Export Federation Technical Services Manager Cheyenne McEndaffer has more details in this USMEF report.

Cheyenne McEndaffer: Colombia is an interesting market. We have full access for all beef and pork products, which is great, but we have been running into some technical issues that have impeded our exports, and continue to affect both exporters wanting to send to the market, as well as importers willing to buy. Some examples would be port inspections. Colombia’s veterinary officials are very tough on any dust or dirt in the containers, on top of the boxes, which unfortunately happens during transit, as well as maybe blood or purge coming out of the boxes before they are frozen in the U.S. to load into the container. Label discrepancies – it is one of the countries that requires Spanish and English labels, so we need to make sure that’s accurate. And if there are any errors, that gives the inspectors a chance to retain or even reject that product. So, the goal is to work with the exporters and the importers to make sure we, a.) know what the requirements are and comply, and b.) make sure Colombian officials are enforcing them as written, as well.

Joe Schuele: Colombia also presents some transportation challenges, especially for chilled pork and beef.

Cheyenne McEndaffer: The vast majority of what we are sending for both beef and pork to Colombia now is frozen, and the biggest reason for that is the logistics. We have three key ports in Colombia – one on the Pacific and two on the Caribbean side, and distance-wise it’s not too far to the key city centers, but infrastructure for both trucks and highways to move the product is not there, so it can take multiple days, even weeks, to get from the key port of Buenaventura to Bogota. So right now the chilled product that is going stays on the coast centers where it can be processed and then sent in after further processing.

Joe Schuele: For more information, please visit USMEF.org. For the U.S. Meat Export Federation, I’m Joe Schuele.