Source: Susan Kelly, MEATINGPLACE, 3/9/18


U.S. beef exports in January were significantly higher than the large totals of a year ago, led by muscle cuts, the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) said.

Beef and pork exports registered impressive gains in January and, based on weekly export reports, we expect February shipments to show robust growth as well,” predicted analysts at the Daily Livestock Report, published by Steiner Consulting Group.

“January export results were solid overall and were especially strong for muscle cuts,” USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom said in a statement. “Despite the decline in variety meat volume, export value continued to increase. This underscores the important contribution variety meats deliver for producers and for everyone in the U.S. supply chain.”

Beef exports totaled 105,486 metric tons in January, up 9 percent year-over-year, while export value surged 21 percent to $624.4 million, according to USMEF. Exports accounted for 12.4 percent of total beef production in January, up slightly from a year ago. For muscle cuts only, the percentage exported increased from 9.5 percent to 10.1 percent. Beef export value averaged $293.06 per head of fed slaughter, up 14 percent year-over-year.

Pork
January pork exports totaled 203,488 metric tons, steady with last year’s strong volume, while export value increased 7 percent to $545.6 million. Pork exports accounted for 24.7 percent of total pork production, down from 26.2 percent a year ago. For muscle cuts only, the percentage exported declined slightly to 21.5 percent. Pork export value averaged $50.93 per head slaughtered, up 1 percent year-over-year.

Muscle cuts, variety meat
For muscle cuts only, beef exports reached 80,495 metric tons (up 15 percent) valued at $555.7 million (up 23 percent). Pork export volume increased 5 percent to 164,189 mt, while value climbed 9 percent to $454.2 million.

Beef variety meat volume fell 5 percent to just under 25,000 mt, but value increased 7 percent to $68.8 million. Pork variety meat exports dropped 16 percent in volume (39,299 mt) but still managed a 2 percent increase in value to $91.5 million.

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