WHILE our meaty rugby players struggled against Japan last weekend in the Rugby World Cup – going down to a 28 to 21 defeat – the good news is that Scotch Beef is back on the menu in downtown Tokyo for the first time in 23 years.

An order shipped out by West Lothian-based processor AK Stoddart was celebrated at a showcase event in Tokyo as part of the Rugby World Cup celebrations, co-organised by Scottish Development International and Quality Meat Scotland, took place in the British Embassy. Influential Japanese retailers and food importers were given a chance to taste the product (for more, see our QMS-sponsored pages on 34 and 35).

It's been a long time coming as Japan banned imports of British beef and lamb in 1996 following the outbreak of BSE, but in January agreed to lift the ban following a meeting between Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and former UK prime minister, Theresa May.

Meanwhile, the red meat sector at home remains in the doldrums, with deadweight prices hovering at around the £3.40 per kg mark. The 'Scotch' premium has recovered a little, though and is now around 10p per kg.

Supplies have tightened too, with Scottish deadweight figures showing about 6500 fewer animals killed in the week ended October 12, according to AHDB market intelligence figures.

This did not, however, translate into a stronger trade. Steers were marginally up by 0.2p per kg, to 338.7p; while heifers dropped a tad, by 0.8p to 339.2p per kg.

As herds gear up to bringing cattle inside, there was also an increase in the number of cull cows going through the system, with more than 800 head in that week – up almost 30% on the previous week – and that was a factor in the price dropping by 9.2p per kg, to an average of 233p in Scotland.

The one positive from the autumn round of calf sales is that they have not been hit by too big a drop (as reported on this page by John Angus' IAAS column). There's plenty of grass – of a bit wet – around and cheap and plentiful supplies of grain should help reduce costs through this coming winter.