While exporting red meat to an EU member state is never easy, Croatia’s new status allows products to be shipped there under more familiar and consistent veterinary and sanitary standards. Exports to Croatia are also now eligible for the same tariff treatment as other destinations in the EU – including, for example, the zero-duty quota for high-quality beef.
Croatia ranks 21st among EU member states in population at 4.3 million. Its estimated per capita GDP of $18,200 is on the lower end of EU members, comparable to Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Estonia. However, the main engine for Croatia’s economy is a rapidly growing tourism and hospitality sector concentrated on the Adriatic coast.

Brook noted that USMEF held promotions for U.S. beef in Croatia late last year in anticipation of its entry into the EU.
“We have a number of customers that have already made purchases, but now they will have access to high-quality U.S. beef on a duty-free basis, instead of paying the duties previously assessed by Croatia,” he explained.

The trend is similar on the pork side, as Croatia’s imports grew significantly between 2003 (27,905 mt valued at $58.2 million) and 2012 (50,848 mt, $162.4 million). Germany captures about one-third of the imported pork market, with the Netherlands and Spain also holding double-digit market shares. Only a very small portion of Croatia’s imported pork is from non-European suppliers.
“Considering its rather small population, Croatia clearly has a growing need for red meat,” Brook said. “But the opportunity for the U.S. industry is not really centered on displacing European beef and pork, but rather expanding the presence of high-quality, well-marbled meat.”