HL Deb 25 March 2002 vol 633 cc21-3WA
Lord Pearson of Rannoch

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What are the figures for the total tonnage of British meat exported (a) before the foot and mouth disease epidemic, and (b) as at 15 March and; [HL3369]

What are the figures for the total tonnage of imported meat (a) before the foot and mouth disease epidemic and (b) as at 15 March; and for each category what percentage of meat depended or depends on vaccination for its good health. [HL3370]

Lord Whitty

The attached table shows the monthly volume of UK trade in meat and meat preparations between January 2000 and December 2001. The monthly data for February cannot be split before and after the FMD outbreak. Monthly data are provided so that normal seasonal patterns of trade can be taken into account and to show the effects of the gradual lifting of the export ban.

The importation of meat is permitted from a limited number of third countries where foot and mouth disease is present and where the veterinary authorities have contained the disease in specified regions. European Community rules permit imports from certain regions of those countries that are not considered to pose a risk to human or animal health. Fully matured boneless beef, which does not post a FMD risk, may in some cases be imported from other regions subject to veterinary certification. Countries to which these controls currently apply are Botswana, Namibia, South Africa, Swaziland, Zimbabwe, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay. All meat imported from third countries is subject to veterinary checks at border inspection posts to ensure that import requirements are met.

The importation into the EU of meat from vaccinated animals is not permitted from African countries. Imports of meat from Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay and Paraguay may be from vaccinated animals, but the meat must be deboned and matured so as to remove any risk of live FMD virus being present. No record is kept on whether the meat imported from these countries is derived from vaccinated or unvaccinated animals.

UK trade in meat and meat preparations 2000–01
('000 tonnes)
Trade Type Product Month 2000 2001
Exports Beef January 1 1
February 1 1
March 1 1
April 1 1
May 1 1
June 1 1
July 1 0
August 1 1
September 1 1
October 1 1
November 1 1
December 1 1
Beef total 9 8
Sheepmeat January 9 10
February 7 6
March 8 0
April 7 0
May 5 0
June 7 1
July 8 2
August 10 2
September 9 2
October 9 2
November 10 2
December 11 4
Sheepmeat total 100 31
Pigmeat January 19 16
February 24 13
March 25 1
April 21 1
May 23 2
June 24 2
July 21 3
August 23 3
September 20 3
October 19 3
November 19 6
December 17 5
Pigmeat total 254 57
Poultrymeat January 15 19
February 16 19
March 21 19
April 14 18
May 16 19
June 18 18
July 16 20
August 17 20
September 18 19
October 19 22
November 20 21
December 20 20
Poultrymeat total 209 236
Other January 1 1
February 0 0
March 0 0
April 0 0
May 0 0
June 0 1
July 0 0
August 0 0
September 0 0
October 0 1
November 1 0
December 1 1
Other total 6 5
Exports total 578 336

UK trade in meat and meat preparations 2000–01
('000 tonnes)
Trade Type Product Month 2000 2001
Imports Beef January 19 24
February 19 21
March 20 30
April 20 24
May 24 25
June 26 24
July 22 21
August 23 26
September 21 22
October 19 25
November 21 24
December 21 26
Bovine total 257 292
Sheepmeat January 9 8
February 10 9
March 14 15
April 12 12
May 11 11
June 10 8
July 8 8
August 9 7
September 8 9
October 9 6
November 9 5
December 13 8
Sheepmeat total 121 106
Pigmeat January 41 52
February 43 47
March 55 63
April 42 33
May 47 43
June 52 50
July 48 45
August 50 47
September 59 49
October 48 52
November 50 54
December 53 51
Pigmeat total 587 586
Poultrymeat January 30 32
February 33 31
March 35 35
April 31 28
May 34 30
June 38 32
July 31 31
August 32 33
September 32 30
October 30 35
November 34 35
December 33 32
Poultrymeat total 393 384
Other January 4 7
February 16 8
March 13 8
April 5 7
May 6 9
June 6 10
July 7 8
August 6 9
September 6 9
October 5 10
November 8 13
December 7 12
Other total 90 110
Imports total 1,449 1,479