October 6, 2010

US pork exports boom in Mexico

Through July, US pork exports to Mexico are up 8% in volume and an impressive 30% in value, topping US$560 million in just the first seven months of the year.

Dan Halstrom, senior vice president for marketing and communications with the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), emphasises there is still room for further growth, if the US industry remains innovative and is successful in differentiating the high level of quality and safety of its products.

"We're constantly working with our USMEF team in Mexico on new approaches, new ideas, new segments and new products," Halstrom said. Food safety of US pork was one of the main focuses, he added.

In the retail sector, Mexico does not require country-of-origin labelling (COOL). But Halstrom said it still could be a useful tool for differentiating high-quality US pork products.