U.S. Meat Export Federation
According to numbers released by the USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF), July exports of U.S. pork continued to outpace year-ago levels. On the other hand, beef exports took a step back in July, posting the lowest volume since January, but export value per head of fed slaughter again exceeded $400.
July pork exports totaled 219,014 metric tons (mt), up 5% year-over-year, while export value increased 1% to $628.7 million. Exports to leading market Mexico continued on a record pace, while July shipments also increased significantly year-over-year to Central America, Taiwan, Oceania, the ASEAN region and Canada.
Through the first seven months of 2023, pork exports were 13% above last year’s pace at 1.69 million mt, valued at $4.67 billion (up 10%). This included record-large shipments of pork variety meat, which totaled 345,070 mt, up 28% from a year ago, valued at $812.7 million (up 19%).
July beef exports totaled 103,167 mt, down 18% from a year ago and the lowest in six months. Export value was $810.4 million, down 19% and the lowest since February. Exports posted year-over-year gains in July to Mexico, Taiwan, Canada, Hong Kong and Africa and increased sharply to Peru and Honduras. But July exports to the top three destinations for U.S. beef – South Korea, Japan and China – were well below last year’s large totals. For January through July, beef exports trailed last year’s record pace by 11% in volume (772,343 mt) and 19% in value ($5.81 billion).
Following a slow second quarter, July exports of U.S. lamb muscle cuts showed signs of a rebound. July export volume was 197 mt, up 22% from a year ago and the highest since March. Export value was $928,000, down 2% year-over-year but the highest since April. For January through July, lamb exports were 1% below last year’s pace at 1,264 mt, while value fell 6% to $7.3 million. Markets trending higher included Mexico, Canada, the Netherlands Antilles, Panama and Guatemala.
Building on a robust first-half performance, July exports of U.S. pork continued to outpace year-ago levels, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). Beef exports took a step back in July, posting the lowest volume since January, but export value per head of fed slaughter again exceeded $400.
July pork exports totaled 219,014 metric tons (mt), up 5% year-over-year, while export value increased 1% to $628.7 million. Through the first seven months of 2023, pork exports were 13% above last year’s pace at 1.69 million mt, valued at $4.67 billion (up 10%).
“Market diversification has been the top priority for the U.S. pork industry and those efforts are certainly reflected again in these results,” said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. “In July, exports trended lower to China/Hong Kong, Japan and South Korea, but our Western Hemisphere markets and other destinations in the Asia-Pacific continued to shine. This is exactly the type of broad international footprint the industry needs to maintain consistent export growth.”
July beef exports totaled 103,167 mt, down 18% from a year ago and the lowest in six months. Export value was $810.4 million, down 19% and the lowest since February. For January through July, beef exports trailed last year’s record pace by 11% in volume (772,343 mt) and 19% in value ($5.81 billion).
“It’s definitely a challenging environment on the beef side, due in part to limited supplies but also persistent headwinds in our key Asian markets,” Halstrom explained. “Though it’s taking longer than anticipated, we still expect a broader foodservice rebound in Asia. And some bright spots for U.S. beef include sustained demand in Taiwan, especially for alternative beef cuts, and the continued momentum in Mexico. It’s also encouraging to see per-head export value maintaining a high level. This is an important metric for gauging the returns delivered by the international markets, even when our production is trending lower.”
Western Hemisphere markets bolster July pork exports
Pork exports to leading market Mexico continue to far exceed last year’s record pace, with July shipments up 15% from a year ago to 81,081 mt. July export value increased 12% to $189.4 million. January-July exports to Mexico increased 14% from a year ago to 614,015 mt, while value soared 20% to $1.26 billion. This included a surge in pork variety meat exports, which increased 47% to 90,311 mt, valued at $160.6 million (up 43%).
July was another strong month for pork exports to Central America, which increased 23% from a year ago to 9,138 mt, valued at $27.3 million (up 26%). January-July shipments to the region were up 6% to 70,828 mt, while value climbed 12% to $203.2 million. Growth was fueled by strong demand in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Nicaragua.
Taiwan’s demand for U.S. pork continues to make an impressive rebound in 2023. July exports to Taiwan were 2,388 mt, up from just 352 mt a year ago. July value reached $7.8 million, up from just $880,000. January-July exports were the largest since 2013, increasing 539% from a year ago to 12,668 mt, while value climbed 627% to $41.3 million. This year’s exports to Taiwan already exceed the combined results from calendar years 2021 and 2002, which totaled only 9,500 mt valued at $29 million.
Other January-July export results for U.S. pork include:
- Although pork exports to South Korea trended lower in July, shipments through the first seven months of the year still increased 6% to 113,756 mt. Export value declined slightly, falling 1% to $370.6 million. In recent months, Korea has implemented duty-free quotas for imported pork as part of its effort to combat food price inflation. These quotas mainly benefit Canadian, Mexican and Brazilian pork, as imports from the U.S., European Union and Chile already enter at zero duty under free trade agreements with Korea.
- Pork exports to China/Hong Kong, which are currently primarily variety meat, were also lower in July but remain well ahead of last year’s pace. January-July shipments totaled 315,539 mt, up 18% year-over-year, valued at $813.6 million (up 14%).
- In Japan, July pork exports were down 12% from a year ago to 25,357 mt, while value fell 9% to $106. 9 million. This pushed January-July shipments 3% below last year’s pace at 212,626 mt, valued at $856.3 million (down 6%).
- July pork exports to Canada increased 15% from a year ago to …..
The full detailed summary of the January-July export results for U.S. beef, pork and lamb is available on the USMEF website.