October 18, 2010
August US beef and pork exports remain strong
US beef and pork exports for the month of August had easily outpaced the results of August 2009 and increased their gains over the cumulative totals from the first eight months of 2009, according to the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
Beef exports for August increased by 24% in volume and 43% in value to US$373.7 million. August pork exports were up 9% in volume and 16% in value over last year, valued at US$369 million.
All major beef export markets showed strong growth through the first eight months of the year except for Vietnam and Mexico. Mexico is down 21% in volume and 18% in value. On a per-head basis, beef exports equated to US$159.60 per steer and heifer slaughtered in August - up from about US$120 in August 2009. And pork export value, on a per head basis, was US$40.87 in August, up from US$34.50 last year.
While US pork exports achieved excellent growth in Mexico and Canada, smaller markets in the Western Hemisphere also performed extremely well. Exports to Central and South America climbed 34% in volume and 36% in value.
The USMEF also said that US lamb exports to Mexico are up 56% in volume and 70% in value, easily making it the leading market in both categories.
