November 26, 2007

 

Record Canadian live hog exports to US seen up this year

 

 

Live hog exports to the US are expected to top 10 million head during calendar year 2007, which would surpass the record established in 2006, according to an official with the Canadian Pork Council. Live hog exports include slaughter, feeder and breeding hogs.

 

"That many hogs would represent roughly one-third of Canada's pig herd," said Martin Rice, an executive director with the Council.

 

He said Canadian live hog exports to the US as of the end of August totalled 6.3 million head, which compares with the 5.7 million head at the same time in 2006. Total hog shipments from Canada to the US during 2006 totalled 8.77 million head.

 

"The jump in live hog shipments to the US reflects the fact that large-scale producers across Canada are finding it too expensive to finish those hogs given the high price of feed grains," Rice said. Reduced domestic slaughtering capability was also linked to the increased shipments of live swine into the US

 

Saskatchewan was seen as a prime example of where there are a number of large-scale pig producers, but there is no processing available, Rice said.

 

"There were a lot of Saskatchewan pigs directed to the Maple Leaf processing facility in Brandon, Manitoba, when the company shut down its Saskatoon facility, but there are also a lot that are being moved to the US as well," he said.

 

Canadian pork-product shipments to the US as of the end of August in the 2007 calendar year totalled 241,000 tonnes, slightly above 240,000 tonnes at the same time in 2006, Rice said.

 

Exports of Canadian pork products to the US during 2007 were estimated by Rice to break even with the 2006 level or possibly be a bit higher. During 2006, around 363,000 tonnes of Canadian pork was exported into the US

 

Rice projected Canada' s pork-product exports to all markets in 2007 to come in at around 1.0 million tonnes. This would compare with 1.037 million tonnes during 2006. As of August 2007, Canada had shipped 664,000 tonnes of pork products to the global market, compared with 688,000 tonnes at the same time a year ago.