October 23, 2006

 

US pork exports for the year-to-date up 12 percent

 

 

US pork exports for the first eight months of the year were up 12 percent from a year ago while August exports were up 8.8 percent from last August's levels.

 

Pork exports for the first eight months of the year accounted for 14.4 percent of US pork production, up 1.39 percent of production from the same months of 2005.

 

While exports to Russia and South Korea grew strongly, exports to the crucial Japanese market fell 8.4 percent.

 

Live hog imports from Canada in August also increased 6.2 percent from a year earlier.

 

Feeder pig imports, mostly from Canada, rose but slaughter hog imports fell.

 

Feeder pig imports, were up 17.5 percent for this month while slaughter hog imports were down 14.3 percent from a year earlier.

 

For the first eight months of the year, feeder pig imports were up 13.6 percent and slaughter hog imports were down 1 percent compared to last year.

 

Hog marketing margins were up 1.6 percent for January-September with the processor-retailer margin up 1 percent and the packer's margin up 4.1 percent  from 12 months earlier.

 

Although live hog prices for September was up 0.6 percent from a year earlier, prices for January-September were down 7.5 percent from a year earlier.

 

Slaughter this week under Federal Inspection was up 1 percent from a year earlier.

 

For the first eight months, pork exports to Japan were down 8.4percent , to Canada up 5.6percent . to Mexico up 21.1percent , to Russia up 133.6percent , to South Korea up 54.4percent , to mainland China and Hong Kong up 7.8percent , to Taiwan up 12.1percent , to Caribbean up 95.5percent  and to other up 5.7percent .