January 15, 2007

 

US pork exports up 22 percent for November 2006

 

 

US pork exports for November 2006 were up 22 percent from a year earlier, with Japan making the largest monthly purchase for the year, up 20.3 percent from 12 months earlier.

 

Pork exports in November 2006 also set a new record high in tonnage, up 3 percent from the previous record set in March of 2006.

 

Total pork exports for January - November set a new annual record- 2 percent larger than for the full year of 2005.

 

For January - November pork exports were up 12.1 percent from a year earlier. Despite the increased demand from Japan in November, they were down 5.2 percent for January - November.

 

Still, encouraging figures were seen for the year in markets in Canada, Mexico, China/Hong Kong and Taiwan. Russia reported the largest increase of 130 percent followed by South Korea at 49.6 percent.

 

More pork as a percentage of production being exported is forming the basis for stronger demand for live hogs despite relatively stagnant domestic demand.

 

Net pork exports as a percent of production increased from 7.95 percent in January - November of 2005 to 9.43 percent of production for the same months of 2006.

 

Pork imports for January - November of 2006, was down 4 percent for the first 11 months of 2006 from 2005, with the decline mostly from Canada,

 

However, live hog imports from Canada were up 7.6 percent in January - November compared to 12 months earlier, with feeder pig imports were up 12.2 percent

compared to a year earlier and the trend is expected to continue.

 

Slaughter this week under Federal Inspection was estimated at 2,105 thousand head, up 1.8 percent from a year earlier.