June Beef and Pork Exports: USMEF Highlights Growth in Latin America Despite China Challenges
The U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) released its latest June beef and pork export data, revealing contrasting trends between the two proteins. While U.S. pork exports saw notable growth, beef exports declined, primarily due to limited market access in key destinations like China.
According to USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom, pork exports totaled 239,000 metric tons in June, a 7% increase year-over-year. Halstrom stated:
“I think there’s a couple of stories here. Number one is China, even though we’re still at a 57% duty, volume has returned to China in June, right at a year ago numbers.”
While U.S. pork exports to China are still hindered by a steep 57% duty, the fact that volumes matched last year is considered a positive sign. However, Halstrom emphasized that the real growth driver in June was Latin America:
“Mexico, very big month, 102,000 metric tons, up 24%, almost $250 million, which is up over 30%, but the second highest month on record as it relates to the value side.”
Mexico led the charge with record-setting performance, and Central America followed closely with a 30% increase in volume. These strong results continue to solidify Latin America as a critical region for U.S. pork exports.
However, the story was less optimistic on the beef export side. Total beef exports were down 15%, totaling nearly 94,000 metric tons. The key issue remains limited access to the Chinese market:
“We’re still missing the vast majority of our plants as being listed for a China approval list,” Halstrom explained. “So when you have a key market such as China not at the table, you’re going to see a disproportionate impact on the pricing and the value lost opportunity.”
Despite these challenges, the U.S. beef industry showed resilience. South Korea and Mexico posted numbers comparable to last year, while Central America grew over 10%, and Africa and the Middle East saw continued demand for variety meats.
The latest USMEF report underscores the importance of market access, trade relationships, and regional diversification for maintaining global demand for U.S. beef and pork exports.
Audio Reporting by Dale Sandlin for Southeast AgNet.