US pork exports set new record, buoyed by global demand

US pork exports in May set a new record and were nearly double the same period a year ago, which boosted year-to-date sales by 60 percent.

 

Erin Daily, manager of research and analysis for the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), said Monday (July 14) that a shortage in the global meat supply, record pork production in the US and a weak US dollar are factors contributing to the large sales.

 

May pork exports were 196,118 tonnes, up 95 percent on-year. China/Hong Kong was the leading market by volume with more than 55,000 tonnes of purchase.

 

Japan imported the second largest volume at just over 40,000 tonnes, but held the top spot by value.

 

USMEF reported that January-May pork sales to China/Hong Kong have already surpassed total 2007 sales to that market.

 

The year-to-date figure for total pork, including variety meats such as livers and kidneys, was reported at 825,800 tonnes. Last year, that volume figure was not achieved until early September.

 

Meanwhile, beef sales which include beef variety meats were also up in May and reached the largest monthly volume since December of 2003.

 

In late December 2003, the first case of mad cow disease was discovered in Washington state.

 

Year-to-date volume in beef is reported at 355,982 tonnes, up 29 percent on-year. The value is up 37 percent at nearly US$309 million.

 

Mexico remains the number one customer for US beef with over 33,000 tonnes order in May and more than 163,000 tonnes for the first five months.

 

Canada ranks as the second largest purchased of US beef.