Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 10/18/10

U.S. beef and pork exports in August both exceeded their year-ago totals and upped their gains over cumulative totals from the first eight months of 2009, according to USDA data compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.

Beef exports in August rose 24 percent in volume and value year on year, totaling 92,579 metric tons valued at $373.7 million. January-August totals increased 16 percent in volume (680,609 metric tons) and 27 percent in value ($2.57 billion). This value total is 9 percent higher than the corresponding pre-BSE value total from January-August 2003.

Korea remained the largest growth market, with exports of 73,625 metric tons valued at $345 million, an increase of 131 percent and 175 percent, respectively.

Beef exports equated to $159.60 per steer and heifer slaughtered in August, up about $40 from August 2009. Export value for January-August equated to $144.32 per head, compared with $115.25 a year ago. Exports accounted for 11.4 percent of production, up from 9.7 percent last year.

Pork
August pork exports grew 9 percent in volume and 16 percent in value over last year, totaling 146,459 metric tons valued at $369 million. January-August exports totaled 1.244 million metric tons valued at $3.11 billion. The volume is 3 percent higher than 2009. The value climbed 9 percent over last year and is only 3 percent off the record pace of 2008.

Mexico ($644 million, up 32 percent) and Canada ($409 million, up 25 percent) led pork export value growth, but exports to Japan also rose 3 percent in value to $1.09 billion.

Pork export value was $40.87 per head in August, up from $34.50 last year. For January-August, export value was $43.92, compared with $38.79 last year. Exports were 22.4 percent of total pork production in August and nearly 24 percent for the year, both representing slight gains from August 2009 (20 percent) and January-August 2009 (22.4 percent).

For complete January-August statistics, click here.
 

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