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With livestock disease outbreaks sweeping the globe, Korea last year for the first time imported more pork than beef. The Korea Customs Service said pork imports surged while beef and chicken imports plunged due to concern over mad cow disease and bird flu. Imports of premium spirits also fell because of the country¡¯s recession, the first decrease in alcohol imports in six years.
In a report on the import trend for meat and alcoholic liquors, the customs said pork imports rose 44 percent to 186,738 tons last year, while beef imports sharply dropped 52 percent to 175,949 tons, bumped off first place for the first time. Beef imports nonetheless cost twice as much as pork or W619 billion (US$600.37 million). Combined imports of beef, pork and chicken were down 32 percent from a year earlier to stand at $1.004 billion.
In alcoholic beverages, whisky and brandy imports decreased by 15 and 36 percent, while the cheaper wine and beer grew by 27 and 8 percent. Total alcohol imports fell 8 percent to $378 million from a year earlier, the first downturn since 1998.
(Na Ji-hong, willy@chosun.com )
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