June 14, 2007

US pork exports off to a slow start this year

US pork exports continue to languish as it posted a 13.35 percent drop in April compared to the same period last year as first quarter shipments for this year were down 1 percent than in 2006, data from the government show.

Mexico, the US' second pork market, imported 24 percent less in the first three months. Lesser purchase by traditional buyers Russia and Taiwan were also noted. 

There were also significant exports from January to April such as Japan buying 12.5 percent more pork in the year's first four months compared to the same period last year. South Korea has also imported 8 percent more US pork as of April this year.

US pork exports during April totalled 224.701 million pounds (carcass weight equivalent), accounting for 13.1 percent of US pork production during the month.

On the other hand, US pork imports were up 7.2 percent in April from 12 months earlier but down 2.5 percent on the first quarter compared to the same period last year. Canada, US' biggest supplier, has accounted for all the decline as Canadian hog slaughter has been running below year-earlier levels.

The number of live hogs imported from Canada from January to April was up 9.2 percent compared to the same period last year with 150,786 more feeder pigs being imported and 107,411 more hogs brought south. About 56 percent of the feeder pig imports are of pigs weighing less than 15 pounds. Live hog imports are on a pace to break the 2006 record of 8.76 million head imported.