Horsemeat furore shows extent of UK’s meat imports
The horsemeat scandal has brought into focus the huge volume of processed meat and meat products imported into the UK each year.
According to the latest DEFRA figures, which are for the year 2011, £1.3bn worth of “other meat products” were imported into the country.
This is in addition to £212m worth of “beef products”, £858m of beef and veal and £56m worth of edible offal and other meat.
Processed fats and waxes accounted for another £427m worth of imported goods. The figures are based on statistics gathered by HMRC.
It has also emerged that in the same year the UK exported 2,200t of equine meat and more than 70t of equine offal with a combined value of more than £3.9m.
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