In 2004, the U.S. pork industry sold more than $2 billion worth and more than...

In 2004, the U.S. pork industry sold more than $2 billion worth and more than 1 million metric tons of pork and pork variety meat products to export markets for the first time.

With the release of December statistics by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the U.S. Meat Export Federation (USMEF) reports that U.S. pork (including variety meat) exports to countries around the world totaled $2.227 billion in 2004, which, according to USMEF, is more than half a billion dollars more than the value of U.S. pork exported in 2003. The volume of U.S. pork (including variety meat) exports in 2004 was 1.023 million metric tons.

2004 was the 14th consecutive record breaking year for U.S. pork exports by volume. As the table below illustrates, in 1991 U.S. pork (including variety meat) exports broke the previous record set in 1989, and every year since the industry has exported more product. Although the value of U.S. pork exports has also increased exponentially, fluctuations in prices mean that the record setting has not been in a consistent line. In 2004, however, the U.S. pork industry’s exports exceeded $2 billion for the first time.

U.S. pork sales to the United States’ No. 1 volume market, Mexico, set new dollar and tonnage (for the fifth successive year) records in 2004 with exports of 361,587 metric tons (up 65 percent over 2003) and $566,521 (up 92 percent).

U.S. pork sales to the United States’ No. 1 value, No. 2 volume market, Japan, set new dollar and tonnage records in 2004 with exports of 313,574 metric tons (up 16 percent over 2003) and $978,541 (up 25 percent).

Leading Markets for U.S. Pork Plus Pork Variety Meat Exports 2004

 

Quantity (mt)

Value (U.S. $000)

Country/Region

1/2004-12/2004

% chg

1/2004-12/2004

% chg

Mexico

361,587

65%

$566,521

92%

Japan

313,574

16%

$978,541

25%

Canada

112,360

15%

$301,238

43%

China/Hong Kong

79,701

41%

$90,882

51%

Taiwan

38,806

50%

$56,449

67%

South Korea

27,876

-3%

$56,146

-29%

Russia

27,152

270%

$42,203

450%

Central & South America

17,579

2%

$37,602

23%

Caribbean

13,014

79%

$21,573

64%

European Union

10,712

-36%

$30,284

-26%

Total Worldwide Exports

1,023,413

35%

$2,227,085

41%

U.S.Beef Exports Hit Hard By Bans

The U.S. beef industry exported 321,967 metric tons of beef and beef variety meats in 2004, 75 percent less than 2003 due to the bans on U.S. beef imposed by many countries following the discovery of a single bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) case in Washington Statein December 2003. U.S. beef exports were worth $809.2 million in 2004, a 79 percent decrease over 2003.  

Leading Markets for U.S. Beef Plus Beef Variety Meat Exports 2004

 

Quantity (mt)

Value (U.S. $000)

Country/Region

1/2004-12/2004

% chg

1/2004-12/2004

% chg

Mexico

197,617

-41%

$565,922

-35%

European Union

46,316

254%

$33,724

115%

Canada

23,332

-75%

$98,497

-70%

ASEAN

13,760

-30%

$22,476

-30%

Caribbean

9,067

-9%

$33,968

-3%

Russia

7,140

-89%

$4,413

-92%

Eastern Europe

5,321

152%

$4,617

175%

Middle East

2,146

-95%

$14,482

-82%

Central & South America

2,091

-77%

$4,913

-68%

China/Hong Kong

1,960

-95%

$3,744

-97%

Total Worldwide Exports

321,967

-75%

$809,210

-79%

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 –