Source:  Tom Johnston, MEATINGPLACE.COM, 2/14/11

The year 2010 was the best year on record for U.S. beef export value, the U.S. Meat Export Federation said today, citing federal data.
 

A final total of $4.08 billon broke the pre-BSE (2003) high of $3.86 billion by more than 5 percent and exceeds the 2009 total by nearly $1 billion. Meanwhile, total volume was just over 1 million metric tons, up 19 percent over 2009. Mexico was the only major market to show a decline, although even that market is improving.

“We knew the groundwork was in place for an excellent recovery in 2010. But even the most optimistic forecasts underestimated the degree to which our beef exports would bounce back,” USMEF President and CO Philip Seng said in a news release. “Increasing beef export value by almost one-third, and nearly $1 billion, is a critical achievement for the U.S. beef industry and a substantial boost for U.S. producers.”

Pork export value had its second-best year on record, at $4.78 billion, just 2 percent shy of the 2008 high and leaping over 2009 by more than 10 percent. Total volume was 1.918 million metric tons, up 3 percent over 2009. Exports to Mexico reached a record $986.7 million, up about 30 percent over the previous mark in 2009. The other mainstay market, Japan, bought $1.65 billion worth of U.S. pork.

“Japan is a remarkable market that provides outstanding returns for U.S. producers,” Seng said. “But it is exceptionally competitive, and we have to stay very aggressive to have any chance of remaining the market share leader. With Mexico, we are very pleased with the way demand help us in the face of rising pork prices. Consumers there truly appreciate the quality of U.S. pork, and it performed very well in both the retail and processing sectors.”
 

For more stories, go to www.meatingplace.com.