Pig outlook: Lean hog futures bulls hanging tough

Lean hog futures trading has been choppy and sideways recently, but the bulls still hold the slight overall near-term technical advantage amid persistent strength in cash hog and pork market fundamentals. The latest CME lean hog index is up another 49 cents to $92.34 as of May 20, marking the largest daily gain in the last week and a half. China’s return to the US pork market, noted in today’s export sales report, is also bullish.

Weekly USDA US pork export sales
Pork: Net US sales of 37,400 MT for 2025 were up 52 percent from the previous week and 68 percent from the prior 4-week average. Increases were primarily for Mexico (14,400 MT, including decreases of 100 MT), China (7,800 MT), Japan (3,300 MT, including decreases of 100 MT), South Korea (3,300 MT, including decreases of 100 MT), and Colombia (2,100 MT, including decreases of 100 MT). Exports of 28,500 MT were up 8 percent from the previous week and 9 percent from the prior 4-week average. The destinations were primarily to Mexico (12,800 MT), Japan (4,400 MT), South Korea (3,400 MT), Colombia (1,800 MT), and Canada (1,600 MT).

Brazil’s meat industry seeks expanded cold storage at ports amid HPAI crisis
Industry response to export disruptions and cargo rejections

Brazil’s meat lobby group, ABPA — representing major global food processors such as JBS SA and BRF SA — has formally requested government authorization to increase cold storage capacity at the country’s ports. This move comes in direct response to significant trade disruptions following Brazil’s first confirmed outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a commercial poultry facility in Rio Grande do Sul.