Pork Highlights
January 2023:

Pork: 189,575 mt, +9%; $533 million, +15%
PVM: 47,192 mt, +34%; $111 million, +18%
Pork + PVM: 236,767 mt, +13%; $643 million, +16%

January pork muscle cut exports totaled 189,575 mt, up +9% or +15,888 mt from last year. Exports were higher to China/HK (+4,710 mt), Mexico (+4,040 mt), Canada (+3,150 mt), Japan (+2,440 mt), Caribbean + DR (+2,020 mt), ASEAN (+610 mt), Central America (+460 mt), South America (+400 mt), and Taiwan (+3 mt), while exports were lower to Korea (-2,110 mt), EU27 + UK (-110 mt), and Aus/NZ (-30 mt). Exports to Mexico (82,580 mt, +5%) set a new record, surpassing the previous record volume in January 2022 by 4,040 mt. Exports to Korea (13,170 mt, -14%) were the lowest January level since 2015, while exports to Japan (27,960 mt, +10%) were the highest since September 2022. Exports to the Caribbean + DR (8,850 mt, +30%) were the fifth highest level ever recorded (behind November 2022, December 2022, April 2022, and May 2022) driven by the Dominican Republic (7,680 mt, +31% and the fifth highest ever recorded). Exports were also higher than a year ago to the Leeward-Windward Islands (200 mt, +49%), the Netherlands Antilles (150 mt, +32%), and Trinidad and Tobago (170 mt, +130%). Exports to Honduras (4,230 mt, +38%) were the eighth highest level on record and exports to Guatemala (1,990 mt, +18%), El Salvador (1,090 mt, +6% and tied with May 2022 for the highest level since February 2022), and Nicaragua (530 mt, +8%) were higher year-over-year, bringing Central America (9,190 mt, +5%) above year-ago levels. Exports to Colombia (6,360 mt, +10%) were higher year-over-year. Exports to Canada (16,930 mt, +23%) were above year-ago levels. Combined exports to China/HK totaled 18,830 mt, up 33%, with exports to China (18,060 mt, +35%) higher year-over-year, while exports to Hong Kong (770 mt, -2%) were slightly below year-ago levels. Exports to the ASEAN (2,070 mt, +42%) were higher year-over-year driven by the Philippines (1,570 mt, +30%), Singapore (250 mt, +38%), and Vietnam (160 mt, up from 20 mt), which were all above year-ago levels. Exports to Taiwan (150 mt, +2%) were slightly above year-ago levels, while exports to Auz/NZ were slightly below year-ago levels. Exports to EU27 + UK (70 mt, -59%) were lower year-over-year.

January pork variety meat exports totaled 47,192 mt, +34% or +12,071 mt from last year and the highest January level on record.

Exports were higher to China/HK (+6,150 mt), Mexico (+5,730 mt), ASEAN (+560 mt), South America (+300 mt), and Taiwan (+100 mt), while exports were lower to Japan (-420 mt), Canada (-230 mt), Caribbean + DR (-70 mt), Central America (-60 mt), and Korea (-40 mt). Exports to Mexico (14,220 mt, +68%) were the highest since January 2019, while exports to Canada (1,040 mt, -18%) were lower year-over-year.

Exports to Japan (520 mt, -45%) were the lowest level since July 2021 and export to Korea (410 mt, -9%) were the lowest level since February 2022. Exports to China (27,480 mt, +29%) were the highest January level ever recorded, while there were no reported exports to Hong Kong. Exports to the Philippines (1,480 mt, +42%) and Taiwan (110 mt, up from 20 mt) were higher year-over-year. Exports to the Dominican Republic (510 mt, -8%) were lower year-over-year, but were the eighth highest on record. Exports to Colombia (300 mt, +395%) were above year-ago levels. Exports to Honduras (200 mt, +65%) and El Salvador (100 mt, up from 20 mt) were higher year-over-year, while exports to Guatemala (230 mt, -42%) were below year-ago levels, bringing Central America (550 mt, -9%) lower year-over-year.

January pork muscle cut + pork variety meat exports totaled 236,767 mt, up 13% or +27,959 mt from last year. Exports were higher to China/HK (+10,860 mt), Mexico (+9,770 mt), Canada (+2,920 mt), Japan (+2,020 mt), Caribbean + DR (+1,950 mt), ASEAN (+1,160 mt), South America (+700 mt), Central America (+400 mt), Taiwan (+100 mt), and Aus/NZ (+60 mt), while exports were lower to Korea (-2,150 mt) and EU27 + UK (-150 mt).

January pork exports accounted for 23.4% of pork production and 27.2% when including variety meats, compared to 22.8% and 25.5% for January 2022.

January 2023 pork export value per head averaged $57.81/head, up $4.44/head or +8% from $53.37/head in January 2022.

SOURCE: USMEF