U.S. Exports Less Beef, More Pork During 2012

By CnAgri Print

For the first nine months of 2012, the U.S. exported less beef and more pig meat, according to the USDA International Meat Review. For imports, the volume of beef was up while pork imports were also higher but only slightly.

According to the latest USDA Foreign Agricultural Service International Meat Review, during September, U.S. exports of beef and veal cuts and beef variety meats equalled 90,539 metric tons, which is 9.9 percent lower than the previous month and 17.3 percent lower than September 2011.

For the first nine months of this year, the total of 850,447MT was 11.9 percent below the same period of 2011. Volumes exported to Mexico and South Korea were down by more than 20 percent, while the amount to Taiwan was 62 percent lower.

Total exports of pork cuts and variety meat reached 180,882MT, bringing the total for the year to the end of September to 1,630,858MT. This is 2.3 percent more than the same period of 2011. Volume reduction to Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kong and Japan were more than compensated by increases to Russia, Canada, Mexico and China.

For imports, however, the U.S. imported more 10.4 percent beef and veal for the year to the end of September at 592,524MT. Although relativley small, imports from Brazil were up 140 percent from the same period of 2011. Volumes from Mexico, Uruguay and Australia were also up substantially.