January 27, 2011

US state's 2010 pork exports set record

The pork exports of Iowa have set a record of more than US$1 billion worth shipments in only 11 months of 2010.

The state says that it will be even higher when December figures come in.

Iowa Department of Economic Development spokeswoman Kay Snyder said Wednesday that the previous record was set in 2008, also just over US$1 billion. According to department data, the 2010 figure in only 11 months is about US$3 million higher than for all of 2008.

Snyder said she could not immediately say whether the pork export volume also was higher for 2010 or whether the record is due in part to higher export prices.

The top export customer is Japan, which takes almost 44% of Iowa's total.