January 9, 2014
US posts soaring red meat exports in November
Driven by sustained export growth to Japan and Hong Kong and the continued rebound of the Mexican market, US red meat exports for November were solid with beef sales setting a new value record and pork exports posting their strongest month of 2013.
This is according to statistics released by the USDA and compiled by the US Meat Export Federation (USMEF).
US beef exports surged 11% in volume and 16% in value compared to November 2012, putting 11-month totals at nearly 1.1 million tonnes, up 3% from a year ago. Export value reached US$5.61 billion, an 11% increase over last year''s pace and already ahead of the 2012 year-end total of US$5.51 billion.
Pork exports also were bolstered by solid growth to Mexico and the Central/South America region, registering the highest totals for the year. Despite that, year-to-date US pork exports continue to trail 2012''s record numbers by 6% in volume (1.95 million tonnes) valued at US$5.5 billion, a 5% decline.
"Market access…product availability...relationships. There are many factors that play a role in the export marketplace," said USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng. "We continue to see benefits from expanded market access for beef in Japan and Hong Kong. At the same time, the lack of access for US beef to Mainland China and the closure of the Russian market for both pork and beef- which is approaching a year in duration – are significant barriers."
Seng noted that other impediments for US pork exports to both China and Japan have had an impact. Drought has had widespread ramifications, leading to smaller cattle numbers in the US and a contrasting surge in Australia''s 2013 production, also leading to record exports of Australian beef.
US beef exports in November reached 101,341 tonnes, an 11% hike over last year, while the value rose 16% to US$524.5 million. Exports accounted for 14.3% of total US beef production (muscle cuts plus variety meat) and 11% of muscle cuts alone compared to 12% and 9%, respectively, in November of 2012. The export value per head of fed slaughter in November jumped to US$267.36, an increase of US$51.41 over last year.
The top-performing beef export markets in November were: Japan at 17,135 tonnes (up 74%) valued at US$101.2 million (up 41%); Mexico at 20,114 tonnes (up more than 62%) valued at US$82.9 million (up more than 50%); Hong Kong at 15,185 tonnes (up 112%) valued at US$98.1 million (up 163%); ASEAN at 3,080 tonnes (up 22%) valued at US$14.1 million (up 20%), led by a recovery of exports to Indonesia.
US pork exports in November totalled 192,657 tonnes (down 4%) valued at US$550.7 million (down nearly 3%). Exports equated to 26% of total pork production and 22% of muscle cuts versus 26.8% and 23%, respectively, last year.
The export value per head was US$57.07 for pork in November, an increase of US$1.09 versus last year.
The top-performing export markets for US pork for the month were: Mexico at 58,678 tonnes (up 16%) valued at US$124.3 million (up nearly 26%); Central/South America at 15,876 tonnes (up 58%) valued at US$42.2 million (up 77%) and exports already set a new annual record with strong growth to Colombia, Chile and Honduras; Hong Kong at 7,326 tonnes (up 35%) but not fully offsetting smaller volumes to China (27,978 tonnes, down 15%); ASEAN at 5,831 tonnes (up 25%) valued at US$12.4 million (up 10%); Caribbean at 4,281 tonnes (up 18%) valued at US$11.2 million (up 23%); Japan, the no.one export market for US pork, continued to trail 2012 levels, down 2% in volume and 7% in value for the month, with 11-month totals at 390,388 tonnes (down 8%) valued at US$1.7 billion (down 6%).
US lamb exports totalled 820 tonnes (down 10%) valued at US$2.1 million (down 3 %) in November. For the first 11 months of 2013, exports are up 6% in value (US$25.8 million) on 7% lower volumes (11,395 tonnes), led by Mexico, Canada and the Middle East.