Japan, Korea critical to steady growth in pork exports

With an impressive July performance of $157.6 million, U.S. pork exports to Japan shot past the $1 billion mark for the seventh consecutive year. Coming off a record value year of more than $1.6 billion in 2010, exports to Japan were up 11 percent in volume through July at 287,466 metric tons and up 14 percent in value at just over $1.1 billion.

Exports to South Korea continued to surge as a wider range of U.S. pork cuts continue to find success in Korea’s retail and foodservice sectors. Exports were up 144 percent in volume through July at 136,359 metric tons and nearly tripled in value to $343.4 million.


Other highlights include:
-While year-over-year exports to Mexico are down 4 percent in volume and steady in value, it remains a critical market for U.S. pork. Mexico is the leading volume destination for U.S. pork at 300,234 metric tons so far this year and ranks second to Japan in value at $561 million. Mexico’s retaliatory duties on bone-in pork shoulders, hams and pork skins were cut in half earlier this summer with a compromise agreement on the NAFTA trucking dispute, but remain a hindrance to U.S. exports. USMEF is hopeful that these duties will be removed entirely next month.

-Exports to China through the first seven months of 2011, which were hindered in 2010 due to lingering restrictions related to A-H1N1 influenza, totaled 152,986 metric tons valued at $244.6 million. This is higher in volume and only slightly lower in value than the pace established in 2008, when pork exports to China reached an all-time high.

-While widely known as a successful pork exporter, Chile also has a rapidly growing appetite for U.S. pork. Exports to Chile in 2011 have climbed 186 percent in volume (9,103 metric tons) and 138 percent in value ($21.1 million) over last year. This helped exports to the Central and South America region grow by 19 percent in volume (38,758 metric tons) and 32 percent in value ($98.2 million) over last year.

-Exports to the Oceania region so far this year increased 16 percent in volume (45,921 metric tons) and 41 percent in value ($146.7 million). Australia accounts for about 90 percent of these totals, though exports to New Zealand have increased by more than 20 percent in value to $11.6 million.

Sources-oklahomafarmreport