In a significant market access win for U.S. agriculture, Nigeria is now open to a wide range of U.S. beef and pork products. While Nigeria previously accepted only a limited number of processed meat items, the USDA Export Library now states that U.S. red meat products can be exported to Nigeria unle ss they are specifically excluded. Nigeria still does not accept beef or pork offal or bone-in hams. Smoked, dried and cured beef and pork products are also excluded. But beef cuts and all pork cuts except bone-in hams are now eligible to be shipped to Nigeria, which has the sixth largest population in the world at more than 240 million. It is the third largest economy in Africa, behind South Africa and Egypt. U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) President and CEO Dan Halstrom said this is an important breakthrough in a market that holds excellent long-term potential for the U.S. red meat industry. “There are certainly challenges that must be overcome, and it will take some time to gain a foothold in the Nigerian retail and foodservice sectors,” Halstrom said. “But the first step in developing a new market is to secure meaningful access, and USMEF thanks the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative for their persistent efforts to open Nigeria and other promising markets throughout the world.” ...read more read less