U.S. pork exports topped year-ago totals for the second consecutive month in September, while beef exports dipped below the $1 billion dollar mark but remain on a record pace, according to data released by USDA and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said that continued strong export numbers amid mounting headwinds- like a strong U.S. dollar- show the benefits of the work the USMEF does to diversify global demand for U.S. red meat.
Pork exports reached 222,202 metric tons (mt) in September, up 1% from a year ago. Export value increased 9% to $664.8 million ? the highest since June 2021. Through September, pork exports were 13% below last year at 1.94 million mt, valued at $5.57 billion (down 11%). September pork exports were once again led by Mexico, though shipments slipped below year-ago volume for the first time since early 2021. Exports rebounded to Japan, strengthened to China/Hong Kong and South Korea, and continued on a record pace to the Caribbean and Colombia.
Despite China?s zero-COVID policies that result in travel restrictions and periodic lockdowns in metropolitan areas, September beef exports to China/Hong Kong were still above last year. Shipments also increased year-over-year to the ASEAN region and Caribbean, but declined to Korea, Japan and Taiwan. Halstrom said beef and variety meet monthly exports remain on a record pace despite dipping below the billion-dollar mark for only the second time this year.
September beef exports totaled 115,487 mt, valued at $890.3 million, down 7% from a year ago in both volume and value. For the first nine months of 2022, beef exports were still 4% above last year at 1.12 million mt. Export value reached $9.12 billion, up 20% and already achieving the second highest total for any calendar year, trailing only the 2021 record ($10.58 billion).
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