U.S. pork exports in February reached 346 million pounds, or 156,969 metric tons, a 55 percent jump over export totals from February 2007, according to statistics compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF). The February results helped the U.S. pork industry achieve its fifth consecutive month of record-breaking exports, including variety meats.
For January and February 2008, pork and pork variety meat exports are up 41 percent, totaling 671.6 million pounds, or 304,651 metric tons, valued at $685 million.
"Producers will continue to rely on exports in these challenging times," said Tim Bierman, a pork producer from Larrabee, Iowa, and a member of both the National Pork Board and the Pork Checkoff Trade Committee. "One in every five pigs, about 20 percent, produced in the U.S. was exported during these two months."
On a volume basis China/Hong Kong was the largest market for U.S. Pork and pork variety meats for January and February 2008 with 164.7 million pounds or 74,745 metric tons. That is a 287 percent increase over the same time period in 2007. However, Japan remains No. 1 on a value basis at $210.9 million, or 31 percent of total pork and pork variety meat export value.
"Pork production is running 12 percent over last year, making it impossible to raise prices to cover the ever-increasing costs of production," said Erin Daley, USMEF manager of research and analysis. "Without pork exports, at these production rates the U.S. market would have to absorb the equivalent of an additional 60,000 hogs per day, which would drive prices down significantly."
Among other highlights from the two-month period for pork plus pork variety meat exports:
- Japan: up 4 percent to 143 million pounds or 64,927 metric tons.
- Mexico: up 2 percent to 122 million pounds or 55,384 metric tons, but still trailing the record export volumes of 2006.
- Canada: up 28 percent to 59.4 million pounds or 26,955 metric tons. Exports were basically on track with the strong volumes recorded during the final quarter of 2007, reflecting large live hog imports from Canada.
- Russia continues to be a tremendous growth market: 164 percent growth to 58.9 million pounds or 26,716 metric tons, including 21,812 metric tons of muscle cuts and 4,904 metric tons of variety meats. February exports at 34.8 million pounds or 15,786 metric tons were nearly equal to the monthly record of 35.1 million pounds set in November 2007.
- South Korea: down 2 percent to 53 million pounds or 24,051 metric tons, but February exports were larger than any monthly volume last year with the exception of December. Also note that South Korean import statistics show imports from the United States up 10 percent while imports from the EU are down 16 percent and those from Canada are down 10 percent.
- ASEAN: exports to the Philippines increased 141 percent to 7.6 million pounds or 3,470 metric tons and exports to Vietnam grew from essentially zero to 2.4 million pounds or 1,099 metric tons. Total exports to the region in February, nearly 6.7 million pounds, surpassed the monthly record set in December 2007.
- EU: exports were up 83 percent to 11.6 million pounds or 5,275 metric tons, primarily destined for France at 4.4 million pounds, Germany at 1.8 million pounds and Italy at 1.3 million pounds. However, USMEF notes that U.S. exports, reported by the Department of Commerce, are significantly larger than EU imports, reported by the European Commission. For example, Department of Commerce pork export stats for January 2008 show 3.8 million pounds while EU stats show 2.0 million pounds of pork imports from the United States.
- Caribbean: up 42 percent to 8.3 million pounds or 3,780 metric tons, including exports to the Dominican Republic up 200 percent to nearly 2.8 million pounds.
- Central and South America: up 4 percent to 11.7 million pounds or 5,337 metric tons led by Honduras up 3 percent to 3.5 million pounds.
- Oceania: down 16 percent to 14.6 million pounds or 6,635 metric tons, but Daley notes the good news that the Australian Productivity Commission released its final report and did not recommend safeguard action against pork exports to Australia. Therefore, the United States can continue to export pork to Australia duty-free.
- Taiwan: down 19 percent to 5.1 million pounds or 2,341 metric tons as market access issues continue to impede U.S. pork exports.
The National Pork Board has responsibility for Checkoff-funded research, promotion and consumer information projects and for communicating with pork producers and the public. Through a legislative national Pork Checkoff, pork producers invest $0.40 for each $100 value of hogs sold. The Pork Checkoff funds national and state programs in advertising, consumer information, retail and foodservice marketing, export market promotion, production improvement, technology, swine health, pork safety and environmental management. For information on Checkoff-funded programs, pork producers can call the Pork Checkoff Service Center at (800) 456-PORK or check the Internet at www.pork.org.