| Sumario: | Although a number of ACP countries are seeking to develop beef production for national, regional and international markets, big challenges exist in terms of compliance with sanitary and phytosanitary standards, reliability of the traceability systems, intense competition (such as from the US and UK in Africa and from Brazil in the Caribbean) and high feed costs. After the EU banning of Botswana’s beef export on SPS grounds, Namibia remained the only ACP consistent beef exporter to the EU, and most ACP countries are limiting international ambitions and focusing mainly on national and regional beef markets as the key to future growth. In 2012-13, despite demand for beef growing at global level, production remained static because of rising input costs. This Executive Brief, after examining the main trends in the beef sector at international, EU and ACP levels, focuses on some implications for ACP governments seeking to develop the beef supply chain. A number of challenges and policy measures are outlined both for the development of international trade, and for the strengthening of intra-regional market opportunities.
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