United States: Pork exports in January below those of last year

In January, pork exports from the United States totaled 248,656 tonnes, 9% less than in the previous year, but slightly above USMEF forecasts. The value of exports fell 13%, to US $ 642.8 million. Growth in Japan, Central America, the Philippines and the Caribbean The value of pork exports in January was US $ 57.14 per head slaughtered, 9% less than in January 2019. Exports represented 28.2% of production total pork. As expected, pork exports to China / Hong Kong were well below last year's high volumes, reaching 76,202 t (-21%) in the amount of $ 173.3 million (-29%). Although the USMEF expects exports to the region to remain below 2020 levels throughout the year, China still has an urgent need for imported pork. Pork exports to Japan increased by 2% over the previous year, both in volume (32,332 t) and in value ($ 134.6 million). Demand for chilled pork in the USA remains very strong in the Japanese retail sector. After a record year in 2020, pork exports to Central America grew ...