Source: Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE, 9/5/19


Higher exports to China and Mexico drove record U.S. pork exports in July, according to data released by USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service on Wednesday.

Total U.S. fresh/frozen and cooked pork exports in July were 190,984 metric tons, 33% higher than a year ago. Pork exports to China, meanwhile, grew six-fold to 43,004 metric tons.

On Tuesday, Beijing released data indicating that China has lost more than 100 million hogs to African swine fever, compelling the country to release reserve pork supplies and look abroad for more imports.

The surge in U.S. pork exports to China, however, has been limited in the fallout of a continuing trade war. The latest volley was China filing a third complaint on Monday with the World Trade Organization over U.S. tariffs.

A day earlier, China hiked tariffs on a slew of U.S. agricultural products, including 10% bumps on U.S. beef and pork, in retaliation to the U.S. raising duties on $300 billion of Chinese goods.

U.S. pork producers already had faced a 62% tariff on their exports. The industry says it is losing out on $1 billion per year as a result of the Chinese tariffs.

Mexico
Mexico, meanwhile, remains the No. 1 destination for U.S. pork exports, accounting for nearly a third of all pork shipments so far this year, according to Steiner Consulting Group’s Daily Livestock Report (DLR).

U.S. pork exports to Mexico in July rose 19% year on year, to 56,115 metric tons. Sales to Japan, the second-largest market for U.S. pork, were relatively flat in July and are down 3% through the first seven months of the year.

“As more European pork flows into the Chinese market, we expect to see better demand from Japan and other Asian trading partners,” the DLR said.

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