Cambodia Shows Promise for U.S. Beef Exports

There are a number of emerging markets for U.S. beef in Southeast Asia. This includes Cambodia, which recently established a formal meat trade protocol with the United States.

As U.S. Meat Export Federation Southeast Asian Regional Director Sabrina Yin says this new protocol will offer importers a simpler, smoother process and could help give them access to a wider range of U.S. suppliers.

There are opportunities for the U.S. industry to serve Cambodia's growing tourism sector and its large expatriate population – especially natives of Japan and Korea who are familiar with the attributes of U.S. meat products.

Yin: "For Cambodia we look to two areas. First would be the tourism sector. More and more international hotels are going in, because of the tourism there. The other sector we are looking at is basically on the Japanese and Korean expats. That sector has started to grow. These two sectors needs the U.S. beef to be served on the menu. A lot of the product actually for Cambodia in the past came across the border from Vietnam. Now with the export protocol set up between the U.S. and Cambodia so it will make it so much easier."

In 2012, U.S. beef exports to Cambodia totaled 130 metric tons valued at $1.1 million. Through September, this year's exports had already reached 170 metric tons valued at $1.8 million.