US: 2024 was a record year for pork exports
The year 2024 broke records for the US pork industry in terms of exports. Both in terms of volume as well as in revenues, the US authorities reported numbers that were never achieved before.
Year-end data compiled by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), showed that in 2024, the US exported a volume of 3.03 million metric tons (which is a 4% increase year-on-year). That resulted in a total value of $8.63 billion (a 6% year-on-year increase to 2023, which also was a record year). The previous volume record was from 2020, when 2.98 million metric tons were shipped.
Market diversification as basis of pork export success
In a press release, shared by USMEF, the federation’s president and CEO Dan Halstrom commented, “Market diversification has been a key goal of the US pork industry for many years, and the resulting broad-based growth has never been more evident than in 2024.
“While exports to Mexico were record-large for the 4th consecutive year, US pork’s footprint expanded greatly in the western hemisphere and made gains in the Asia-Pacific, which bolstered global export totals and pushed export value per head slaughtered to a new high of more than $66.”
Pork export figures to Mexico totalled 1.15 million metric tones (a 5% year-on-year increase), with a total value of $2.58 billion (a 10% year-on-year increase).
The press release continued to say that pork exports achieved annual volume and value records in Central America, Colombia, New Zealand, Malaysia and several Caribbean markets. Value records were reached in South Korea, Australia and the Dominican Republic.
Pork exports to China and Hong Kong
Pork exports to China and Hong Kong – trended lower in 2024, USMEF said. China is traditionally an important pig country, and a major importer during the years of African Swine Fever. “China’s demand for pork variety meat regained momentum in the second half of the year. Total exports to the region were down 6% to 467,227 metric tons, while value fell 10% to $1.14 billion. This included 321,811 metric tons of pork variety meat – which is more than half of the US industry’s global export volume – valued at $765 million.
Pork exports to Japan
Japan is traditionally importing a lot of pork. Despite a persistently weak yen, Japan’s demand for US pork held fairly steady in 2024, the press release said. “Volume was down 2% year-over-year to 336,692 metric tons, while value fell 1% to $1.38 billion as the market adjusted to taking more frozen pork and less chilled, due in part to the exchange rate.”
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