Monthly U.S. Pork & Variety Meat Export Volume in October 2023

PORK HIGHLIGHTS

OCTOBER 2023:

Pork: 196,364 mt, +7%; $572 million, steady
PVM: 48,981 mt, -12%; $116 million, -9%
Pork + PVM: 245,345 mt, +3%; $688 million, -2%

JANUARY – OCTOBER 2023:

Pork: 1.893 million mt, +8%, $5.511 billion, +5%
PVM: 487,171 mt, +12%; $1.145 billion, +10%
Pork + PVM: 2.380 million mt, +8.5%; $6.656 billion, +6%

October pork muscle cut exports totaled 196,364 mt, up 7% or +12,859 mt from last year. Exports were higher to Mexico (+13,780 mt), Central America (+3,390 mt), Aus/NZ (+2,910 mt), South America (+2,450 mt), Caribbean + DR (+1,300 mt), Korea (+750 mt), Taiwan (+410 mt), Canada (+180 mt), and EU27 + UK (+140 mt), while exports were lower to China/HK (-8,600 mt), Japan (-3,450 mt), and ASEAN (-780 mt). Exports to Mexico (86,750 mt, +19%) were the highest level on record. Exports to Canada (16,610 mt, +1%) were above year-ago levels for the tenth consecutive month. Exports to Japan (23,740 mt, -13%) were the second lowest level so far this year, while exports to Korea (12,980 mt, +6%) were higher year-over-year and were the highest level since June. Combined exports to China/HK totaled 11,500 mt, down 43% from last October and the second lowest level this year following last month’s low total, with exports to China (10,630 mt, -45%) below year-ago levels, while exports to Hong Kong (870 mt, +30%) were higher year-over-year and the highest level since August 2021. Exports to Taiwan (690 mt, +150%) were above year-ago levels for the ninth consecutive month. Exports to Indonesia (220 mt, up from 20 mt) were the highest level on record, exports to Vietnam (440 mt, up from 70 mt) were the second highest level so far this year, and exports were also higher year-over-year to Malaysia (130 mt, up from 0 mt), while exports to the Philippines (1,520 mt, -48%) were the lowest level since March and exports to Singapore (260 mt, -26%) were also below year-ago levels, but tied with May for the highest level this year. Overall, exports to the ASEAN (2,580 mt, -23%) were the lowest level since March. Exports to Central America (12,850 mt, +36%) were the highest level so far this year, driven by the record high exports to Guatemala (3,000 mt, +34%), exports to Costa Rica (1,540 mt, +39%) were the second highest level on record, exports to El Salvador (1,410 mt, +28%) were the fifth highest on record, exports to Honduras (4,770 mt, +45%) were the highest level so far this year, exports to Panama (890 mt, +38%) were the second highest level this year, and exports were also higher year-over-year to Nicaragua (1,190 mt, +18%). Exports to South America (11,910 mt, +26%) were the highest level since November 2021, with exports to Colombia (10,280 mt, +36%) the highest level since June 2022 and exports to Peru (130 mt, +19%) were also above year-ago levels, but the lowest level since March, and exports to Chile (1,370 mt, -20%) were below year-ago levels. Exports to the Caribbean + DR (10,120 mt, +15%) were the highest level since April with exports to the Dominican Republic (8,270 mt, +16%) also the highest level since April, exports to the Leeward-Windward Islands (470 mt, +22%) were the highest level so far this year, and exports to the Bahamas (410 mt, +4%) were higher year-over-year, while exports to Netherlands Antilles (270 mt, -19%) and Trinidad and Tobago (260 mt, -15%) were lower year-over-year. Combined exports to Aus/NZ totaled 5,770 mt with exports to both Australia (5,050 mt, +97%) and New Zealand (720 mt, +152%) above year-ago levels. Exports to EU27 + UK (170 mt, +422%) were higher year-over-year and the second highest level so far this year.

October pork variety meat exports totaled 48,981 mt, down 12% or -6,726 mt from last year. Exports were higher to Mexico (+2,160 mt), Canada (+1,050 mt), ASEAN (+490 mt), South America (+180 mt), Caribbean + DR (+150 mt), Central America (+150 mt), and Taiwan (+20 mt), while exports were lower to China/HK (-10,100 mt), Japan (-890 mt), and Korea (-20 mt). Exports to Canada (1,900 mt, +123%) were the second highest level so far this year, and when excluding last month’s large total, were the highest level since July 2020. Exports to Mexico (14,120 mt, +18%) were also higher year-over-year.

Exports to Japan (340 mt, -72%) were the lowest level since April 2021, and exports were also lower year-over-year to Korea (440 mt, -4%). Exports to China/HK (27,820 mt, -27%) were below year-ago levels with no reported export to Hong Kong. Exports to Taiwan (140mt, +21%) were above year-ago levels. Exports to the ASEAN (1,880 mt, +36%) were higher year-over-year, driven by exports to the Philippines (1,740 mt, +38%) which were above year-ago levels, but exports to Vietnam (100 mt, -22%) were below year-ago levels. Exports to Guatemala (410 mt, +10%) were the highest level since August 2022, exports to Panama (180 mt, +36%) were the second highest level so far this year, exports to Honduras (170 mt, +67%) were the highest level since May, and exports were also higher year-over-year to El Salvador (80 mt, +8%) bringing exports to Central America (880 mt, +21%) above year-ago levels. Exports to South America (700 mt, +35%) were higher year-over-year driven by above year-ago exports to Colombia (570 mt, +23%) and Chile (110 mt, +169%). Exports to the Caribbean + DR (420 mt, +57%) were above year-ago levels driven by exports to the Dominican Republic (260 mt, +140%) that were only partially offset by lower year-over-year exports to the Leeward-Windward Islands (40 mt, -20%) and Trinidad and Tobago (10 mt, -54% and the lowest level since August 2022).

January – October pork muscle cut + pork variety meat exports totaled 2.380 million mt, up 8.5% or +187,265 mt from last year. Exports were higher to Mexico (+104,910 mt), Aus/NZ (+28,660 mt), Canada (+20,180 mt), Caribbean + DR (+17,880 mt), Taiwan (+12,240 mt), ASEAN (+11,960 mt), Central America (+10,850 mt), Korea (+4,180 mt), and EU27 + UK (+450 mt), while exports were lower to Japan (-17,010 mt), South America (-6,010 mt), and China/HK (-2,470 mt).

October pork exports accounted for 24.3% of pork production and 28.2% when including variety meats, compared to 23.5% and 28.4% for October 2022.  January – October 2023 pork exports accounted for 25.1% of production and 29.3% when including variety meats, compared to 23.5% and 27.2% for January – October 2022. 

October 2023 pork export value per head averaged $60.21/head, down $3.99/head or -6% from $64.20/head in October 2022.  January – October 2023 pork export value per head averaged $62.79/head, up $2.43/head or +4% from $60.36/head for January – October 2022.

SOURCE: USMEF