Market access remains a crucial challenge for exporting countries. In response to weak demand and low industry margins in developed countries, the agricultural sector relies further on decoupled subsidy and protectionist policy, fostering decreased efficiency, output fall and lack of international competitiveness. Uncertainties lie on the developments of the European Common Agricultural Policy health check in 2013, the trade liberalization progress under current economic scenario, serving as a confidence check for investors.
Meat consumption is anti-cyclical, it remains an important issue in human diet and share of consumer expenditure. Influenced by the economic uncertainties, reduced food service demand took place and consequently, usage of premium beef cuts.