July 26, 2005

US expects year-on-year rise in pork production and exports
 

US pork production in 2005 was expected to be 20.8 billion pounds, 1.6 percent above production in 2004. Next year, production would be expected to increase 1.4 percent to 21.1 billion pounds.

US hog prices for 2005 were expected to range between US$47/cwt and US$49/cwt. Prices next year were expected to be somewhat lower, but above the breakeven of most producers, ranging between US$43/cwt and US$47/cwt.

Meanwhile, US exporters were expected to ship more than 2.6 billion pounds of US pork products to foreign markets in 2005, more than 21 percent higher than exports the previous year. This was in light of trade restrictions on North American beef and poultry disease concerns in Asia, as well as a lower valued US dollar.

On the other hand, US pork imports were expected at 980 million pounds in 2005, almost 11 percent less than in 2004. Imports should decline again in 2006, to 960 million pounds.