USMEF: Pork exports dip slightly
Pork exports continue to top 2011 levels in volume in value, while totals for November declined versus last year…
US pork exports for the first 11 months of 2012 continued to exceed the record-setting pace of 2011, the value of beef exports remained slightly above 2011’s record levels despite continued lower volumes and the value of lamb exports in November bounced back from an otherwise slow year, according to statistics released by USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
With only one month yet to be recorded for 2012, pork exports continue to top 2011 levels by 2 percent in volume (2,075,974 mt) and 5 percent in value ($5.8 billion), while totals for November declined 7.7 percent in volume and 5.4 percent in value versus last year. It is important to note, however, that November 2011 ranks as the second-best month in history (behind October 2012) for US pork exports.
Mexico continues to perform as the United States’ top pork volume destination, with November’s totals up 7.2 percent in volume and 4.6 percent in value, pushing the 11-month totals to 550,408 mt (up 15 percent) valued at just over $1 billion (up 11 percent).
Although exports to Japan are trailing 2011 volume, they could still eclipse the $2 billion mark this year, with value up 3 percent through November and volume down 6 percent.
Other top pork markets in November were Canada (up 15.3 percent in volume and 17.1 percent in value), South Korea (up 26.4 percent in volume and 8.5 percent in value), Russia (up 100 percent in volume and 78.7 percent in value), and Central/South America (up 21.1 percent in volume and 10 percent in value).
With US production declining in 2012, beef exports fell a modest 1 percent in value on a 13.3 percent drop in volume in November. For the year, volumes are down 11 percent (1,043,151 mt) but the value of those exports is $5.05 billion – still 2 percent above the record-setting value pace of 2 011.
Canada (up 18.5 percent in volume and 37.8 percent in value), Hong Kong (up 18.8 percent and 62.6 percent in volume and value, respectively), Russia (up 19 percent in volume and 4 percent in value) and Central/South America (up 42.4 percent in volume and 56.3 percent in value; including record exports to Chile, up 119 percent) were the top-performing beef export markets in November. Export value to South Korea increased nearly 6 percent on a slight decline in volume.
“Year-to-date, U.S. pork exports account for 27 percent of total production (23.5 percent for just muscle cuts) and the per-head export value is $56.12 – up 3 percent from last year. Beef exports account for 12.6 percent of total production (9.8 percent for just muscle cuts) with a per-head value of $214.64, up 5 percent from last year.
For more info on beef and lamb exports, visit USMEF.
