Pork exports continued to shine over the first half of 2023.
Through the first half of 2023, exports were 14% above last year’s pace at 1.47 million mt, valued at $4.05 billion, a jump of 12%.
June pork exports totaled 245,964 metric tons (mt), up 12% from a year ago, while export value climbed 6% to $691.4 million, according to an analysis from the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Pork exports to Mexico are on a record pace, with first-half value up 21% to more than $1 billion, USMEF said. Also posting strong year-above-year first-half export numbers were the ASEAN region, Australia, Taiwan, the Dominican Republic and Chile, while exports also posted gains in China/Hong Kong, South Korea and Central America. Pork variety meat exports surged by 32% in the first half to more than 297,000 mt, led by record-large shipments to China.
“Mexico is certainly the 2023 pacesetter for U.S. pork exports, but what’s really exciting is that the industry is achieving such broad-based growth internationally,” said Dan Halstrom, USMEF president and CEO. “Exports are making impressive gains in the Western Hemisphere and reclaiming market share in many Asia-Pacific markets, and U.S. pork is well-positioned to continue gaining momentum in the second half.”
Beef exports totaled 115,107 mt in June, down 12% from a year ago and slightly below the May volume. Export value was $909.5 million, down 13% year-over-year but the highest since October and 4% above the value posted in May.
Over the first half of the year, beef exports were 10% below last year’s record pace at 669,176 mt. USMEF said export value was just under $5 billion – down 19% from a year ago.
“It was a challenging first half for beef exports, especially when compared to the blistering pace established a year ago,” Halstrom said. “But we are encouraged to see that exports are still accounting for a consistently high percentage of total beef production, and variety meat exports have held up very well considering the decline in U.S. slaughter.”
