Why are Mexican beef exporters seeking the Muslim market?

Mexico's growing beef industry is targeting Middle Eastern Muslim consumers as the mainstay of its sales to reduce dependence on US consumers. Mexico, the world's sixth-largest beef producer, plans to quadruple its Halal beef exports - from about 5,000 tonnes to about 20,000 tonnes by the end of 2018 - and to increase its Halal-certified factories from 6 to 15. SuKarne, the largest beef exporter, has begun shipping to Muslim countries such as Egypt, the UAE, Qatar and Lebanon.

How do Mexican beef factories obtain Halal certification?

Factories must be Halal-certified by a third-party body, such as the Halal office in Omaha, USA, or RACS in the UAE. The Mexican Association of Livestock Breeders sent a trade delegation to Dubai and Qatar, and Saudi and then UAE auditors visited Mexico to audit, full of praise for the Mexican production system. Selling beef to Muslim countries will cut into the Halal meat market share held by US and Brazilian beef packers.

Mexican Beef Exporters Seek the Muslim Market as an Alternative to the US

Mexico's growing beef industry is targeting Muslim consumers in the Middle East as the mainstay of its sales, seeking to reduce its dependence on US consumers.

Mexico, the world's sixth-largest beef producer, plans to quadruple its Halal beef exports - from 11 million pounds (5,000 tonnes) this year to 44 million pounds (20,000 tonnes) by the end of 2018, according to data provided by the Mexican Association of Livestock Breeders (AMEG).

According to AMEG data, the country needs 15 Halal-certified factories to produce Halal meat by the end of next year; currently the figure is 6.

Jesus Vizcarra, CEO and owner of SuKarne, Mexico's largest beef exporter, said his company has foreseen the huge consumption potential of Muslim-majority countries.

"We have to look for more markets," he said in an interview, indicating near-term targets in Egypt, the UAE, Qatar and Lebanon.

Among SuKarne's many factories, in the state of Michoacan 270 miles (435 km) west of Mexico's capital, more than 150,000 cattle leisurely pick at rows of feed-grain troughs in dusty feedlots.

This factory is the company's first Halal-certified plant, and it began its first shipments to Muslim markets earlier this year.

The Mexican Association of Livestock Breeders sent a trade delegation to Dubai and Qatar in late February to meet with potential buyers, said AMEG senior official Rogelio Perez.

He said that after Saudi Arabian auditors audited in Mexico in March, auditors from the UAE will visit Mexico in June.

"They were full of praise for the Mexican production system," he said.

Factories must be Halal-certified by a third-party body. For example: the Halal office in Omaha, USA, or RACS in the UAE.

Earlier this year, Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, expressed interest in trying to buy Mexican beef, though no quota has yet been allocated.

According to industry and trade sources, selling beef to Muslim countries will substantially cut into the Halal meat market share held by US and Brazilian beef packers.

FAQ

Why are Mexican beef exporters seeking the Muslim market?: Mexico's growing beef industry is targeting Middle Eastern Muslim consumers as the mainstay of its sales to reduce dependence on US consumers. Mexico, the world's sixth-largest beef producer, plans to quadruple its Halal beef exports - from about 5,000 tonnes to about 20,000 tonnes by the end of 2018 - and to increase its Halal-certified factories from 6 to 15. SuKarne, the largest beef exporter, has begun shipping to Muslim countries such as Egypt, the UAE, Qatar and Lebanon.
How do Mexican beef factories obtain Halal certification?: Factories must be Halal-certified by a third-party body, such as the Halal office in Omaha, USA, or RACS in the UAE. The Mexican Association of Livestock Breeders sent a trade delegation to Dubai and Qatar, and Saudi and then UAE auditors visited Mexico to audit, full of praise for the Mexican production system. Selling beef to Muslim countries will cut into the Halal meat market share held by US and Brazilian beef packers.

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