US pork and beef exports in November rose more than 20% in both volume and value year-on-year. A new monthly volume record for pork exports was recorded.

 

According to statistics released by the US Department of Agriculture and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF), November pork exports totalled 225,757 metric tonnes, up 24% percent year-on-year and breaking the previous record (218,132 metric tonnes) set in October 2012. Export value was $586.8 million, up 30% from a year before and the highest since May 2014.

 

In the 11 months through November, pork export volume was up 7% from a year before to 2.09 million metric tonnes, while export value increased 5% to $5.38 billion.

 

Exports are also accounting for a larger share as November export volume equated to 28% of total production and 23% for muscle cuts only, substantially increasing over the November 2015 ratios of 24% and 21%, respectively.

 

For January through November, exports accounted for 25.5% of total production and 21.4% for muscle cuts-up from 24.2% and 20.9%, respectively, in 2015.

 

November export value averaged $55.09 per head slaughtered, up 19% year-on-year. The January-November average was $49.63 per head, up 2%.

 

Beef exports

 

November was also a very strong month for beef exports, which totaled 115,335 metric tonnes-up 20% year-on-year and the largest since July 2013. Export value increased 19% to $619.1 million, the highest since December 2014. This pushed January-November export volume to 1.07 million metric tonnes (up 10% year-on-year) valued at $5.72 billion (down 1%).

 

November exports accounted for nearly 15% of total beef production and 11.7% for muscle cuts only, the highest levels since 2014.

 

January-November exports of beef accounted for 13.5% and muscle cuts 10.3%, up from 13% and 10% during the same period in 2015. Beef export value per head of fed slaughter reached a 2016 high of $294.39 in November, up 5% from a year before. For January through November, per-head export value averaged $258.48, down 7%.

 

"With recent increases in both pork and beef production, the US industry faces a significant challenge in terms of moving these larger supplies," said Philip Seng, USMEF president and CEO. "But with aggressive and well-targeted international marketing efforts, this also presents an outstanding opportunity to grow our market share in established export destinations and cultivate new opportunities in emerging markets."

 

Lamb exports

 

January-November lamb exports were lower year-on-year in both volume (7,931 metric tonnes, down 5%) and value ($16.7 million, down 3%) due to weak variety meat demand. But lamb muscle cuts continued to trend upward, increasing 21% in volume (1,991 metric tonnes) through November and 13% in value ($11 million).

 

November muscle cut exports to leading market Mexico were the highest at 182 metric tonnes, and results were also bolstered by strong exports to Vietnam, Bermuda and the Netherlands Antilles.