For the second straight year, worldwide U.S. pork exports smashed the record ...
For the second straight year, worldwide U.S. pork exports smashed the record set in the prior year. Following the record breaking year 2001, which saw a 20 percent increase in U.S. pork exports, 2002 broke that record by 3 percent. According to statistics just released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), U.S. pork exports (including variety meats) totaled 726,484 metric tons (mt) in 2002, up from 702,042 mt in 2001.
The value of U.S. pork exports fell 3 percent to $1.504 billion.
U.S. pork sales to the United States’ No. 1 market, Japan, had their fifth consecutive record-breaking year for sales volume. Exports to Japan were 5 percent higher in volume (271,129 mt) and 1 percent lower in value ($848.3 million).
The U.S. pork industry also had a third successive record year in Mexico, its second largest market, breaking the records set in 2000 and 2001. U.S. pork exports to Mexico totaled 217,909 mt, a 7 percent increase over 2001. Lower prices meant that the value of U.S. pork exports to Mexico fell 12 percent to $252 million.
U.S. sales to South Korea sharply rose, a reflection of that country’s improving economy and growing taste for U.S. meat products. U.S. pork and pork variety meat exports to South Korea totaled 23,776 mt, a 61 percent increase over 2001. In value, pork exports to South Korea climbed 62 percent to $40.9 million.
Leading Markets for U.S. Pork Plus Pork Variety Meat Exports 2002
Quantity (mt)
Value (U.S. $000)
Country/Region
1/2002-12/2002
% chg
1/2002-12/2002
% chg
Japan
271,129
5%
$848,305
-1%
Mexico
217,909
7%
$252,033
-12%
Canada
79,374
12%
$176,786
7%
China/Hong Kong
47,041
-19%
$51,155
-23%
South Korea
23,776
61%
$40,907
62%
Taiwan
21,528
70%
$26,647
42%
Central & South America
16,222
-3%
$28,429
-8%
Russia
15,891
-53%
$21,549
-54%
European Union
9,832
-19%
$18,554
8%
Caribbean
6,832
-13%
$11,558
-24%
Total Worldwide Exports
726,484
3%
$1,504,483
-3%
The U.S. beef industry exported 1,233,497 mt of beef and beef variety meats in 2002, a volume only previously exceeded in 2000 and 2001. The end of year export volume was 3 percent lower than 2001. U.S. beef exports were worth more than $3.2 billion in 2002, a 6 percent decrease over 2001. The decrease can be accounted for by a 35 percent drop in exports to Japan, the only market in the top six to fall. USDA statistics also record that Mexico overtook Japan as the United States’ leading market. U.S. beef exports to Mexico broke the record for the sixth successive year. The United States exported 349,900 mt of beef and beef variety meats to Mexico, 12 percent more than in 2001 at a value of $854 million, 10 percent up on the previous year.
Although Japanese beef consumption is recovering, the September 2001 discovery of domestic Japanese bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases badly effected Japanese beef consumption and imports in 2002. Strong showing in other markets by the U.S. beef industry offset the Japanese decline enough to ensure the third best export year in U.S. history. The United States exported 237,982 mt of beef and beef variety meat to South Korea in 2002, a 59 percent increase over 2001. In value, beef exports to South Korea climbed 66 percent to $648.3 million.
Leading Markets for U.S. Beef Plus Beef Variety Meat Exports 2002
Quantity (mt)
Value (U.S. $000)
Country/Region
1/2002-12/2002
% chg
1/2002-12/2002
% chg
Mexico
349,900
12%
$854,283
10%
Japan
332,101
-35%
$1,027,865
-36%
South Korea
237,982
59%
$648,301
66%
Canada
97,666
2%
$298,578
4%
Russia
71,494
18%
$59,598
28%
China/Hong Kong
39,810
23%
$102,379
18%
Middle East
31,864
-11%
$51,756
12%
Taiwan
18,612
42%
$56,189
22%
ASEAN
12,214
17%
$21,916
-2%
Caribbean
10,169
-7%
$31,069
6%
Total Worldwide Exports
1,233,497
-3%
$3,203,394
-6%
The U.S. Meat Export Federation is the trade association responsible for developing international markets for the U.S. red meat industry and is funded by USDA, exporting companies, and the beef, pork, corn, sorghum and soybean checkoff programs.
-- USMEF –