Pork Highlights
September 2021:

Pork: 175,029 mt, -6%, $508 million, +5%
PVM: 44,658 mt, +24%, $100 million, +25%
Pork + PVM: 219,687 mt, -1%, $608 million, +8%

January – September 2021:

Pork: 1.837 million mt, -2%, $5.277 billion, +7%
PVM: 405,744 mt, +17%, $949 million, +26%
Pork + PVM: 2.242 million mt, +1%, $6.226 billion, +9%

September pork muscle cut exports slowed to the lowest level since September 2019 at 175,029 mt, down 6% or -11,500 mt from last year but still up 8% from 2019. Compared to last September, pork muscle cut exports were higher to Mexico (+21,000 mt), Central America (+4,800 mt), South America (+1,800 mt), and Caribbean + DR (+1,450 mt), while exports were lower to China/HK (-24,000 mt), ASEAN (-6,900 mt), Australia/NZ (-3,250 mt), Taiwan (-2,500 mt), Japan (-1,800 mt), Canada (-1,600 mt), and Korea (-260 mt). Pork muscle cut exports to Mexico (68,898 mt, +44%) reached the second highest monthly volume, down only from the record set in August at 68,949 mt. Exports to Japan (28,338 mt, -6%) slowed to the lowest since May 2020. Exports to Canada (20,092 mt, -7%) were down from last September’s large total but were up 12% from 2019 and reached the fifth highest monthly volume on record. Combined exports to China/HK totaled 17,322 mt, down 58% from last year, down 40% from 2019, and the lowest since March 2019. Exports to China (16,732 mt, -58%) were the lowest since March 2019, and exports to Hong Kong (590 mt, -67%) were the lowest since 2006. Exports to Korea (8,400 mt, -3%) slowed to the lowest level since last September and were down 22% from 2019. Exports to Colombia (7,610 mt, +72%) continued to rebound from last year and were up 25% from 2019, while exports to Chile (1,573 mt, -43%) were slow for the second consecutive month. Exports to Central America remained on a record pace: Honduras (4,237 mt, +61% and the third highest monthly volume), the Dominican Republic (4,172 mt, +52%), Guatemala (3,007 mt, +278% and a new record), Nicaragua (1,047 mt, +575%), Panama (1,040 mt, -22%), El Salvador (672 mt, +36%), and Costa Rica (632 mt, +93%). Exports to Australia (3,119 mt, -49%) slowed to the lowest since 2015, and exports were lower year-over-year to New Zealand (722 mt, -22%). Exports to the Philippines (1,881 mt, -59%) slowed to the lowest level since May 2020, and exports were lower to Singapore (184 mt, -25%) and continued to be sluggish to Vietnam (114 mt, -97%). Exports to the Bahamas (432 mt, -2%) were the highest since May and were up 14% from 2019, and exports to Trinidad and Tobago (306 mt, +6%) were up 36% from 2019. Exports to Taiwan (105 mt, -96%) slowed to the lowest level in over 20 years.

September pork variety meat exports totaled 46,658 mt, up 24% or +8,700 mt from last year and up 11% (+4,600 mt) from 2019. Compared to last year, September pork variety meat exports were higher to China/HK (+6,950 mt), Mexico (+3,300 mt), EU 27 + UK (+220 mt), Japan (+180 mt), and Korea (+110 mt), while exports were lower than last year to South America (-680 mt), Central America (-530 mt), Canada (-380 mt), Taiwan (-170 mt), Australia/NZ (-160 mt), Caribbean + DR (-120 mt), and ASEAN (-40 mt). Combined exports to China/HK totaled 28,420 mt, the lowest since April but up 32% from last year and up 26% from 2019.

American Pork & Variety Meat Export Value in September 2021

American Pork & Variety Meat Export Volume in September 2021

Exports to China (28,349 mt, +34%) were the seventh highest on record, while exports slowed further to Hong Kong (71 mt, -76% from last year and down 99% from 2019). Exports to Mexico (10,780 mt, +45%) were the third highest since January 2020 after August 2021 and March 2021. Exports to Canada (1,108 mt) were down 25% from last year and down 14% from 2019. Exports to the Philippines (955 mt, -19%) were the second lowest so far this year. Exports to Japan (764 mt, +30%) were the second highest since 2019 after 808 mt in May. Exports to Chile (516 mt, -60%) were lower than last year and down 42% from 2019. Exports to Korea (388 mt, +41%) were the lowest since last November.

January – September pork and variety meat exports totaled 2.242 million mt, up 1% or +26,800 mt from last year (with value up 9% or +$537 million to $6.226 billion). Exports were higher year-over-year to Mexico (+132,000 mt), Central America (+31,800 mt), ASEAN (+21,600 mt), South America (+17,200 mt), Japan (+16,900 mt), Caribbean + DR (+12,000 mt), Korea (+6,700 mt), and EU 27 + UK (+690 mt). Exports were lower year-over-year to China/HK (-181,000 mt), Taiwan (-11,200 mt), Australia/NZ (-10,000 mt), Canada (-5,700 mt), the surrounding Russia region (-1,300 mt), and Africa (-350 mt).

September pork exports accounted for 23.1% of pork production and 26.9% when including variety meats as compared to 23.9% and 26.5% for September 2020. January – September pork exports accounted for 26.8% of production and 30.4% when including variety meats, compared to 26.9% and 29.6% for January – September 2020.

September 2021 pork export value per head averaged $56.53/head, up $5.45/head or +11% from $51.07/head in September 2020. January – September 2021 pork export value per head averaged $65.06/head, up $6.43/head or +11% from $58.63/head for January – September 2020.

SOURCE: USMEF