Belgium, USMEF: Strong pork and beef exports in October

October pork exports were up 8% year-over-year to 242,536 metric tons (mt), with value also increasing 8% to $641.1 million. Through the first 10 months of the year, exports were 15% ahead of last year’s record pace at 2.46 million mt, with value up 16% to $6.33 billion. October muscle cut exports posted double digits gains at 201,723 mt (up 11%), with value up 10% to $551.8 million. This pushed January-October totals for pork muscle cuts to 2.07 million mt (up 20%) valued at $5.49 billion (up 18%). Pork export value averaged $46.87 per head slaughtered in October, down 3% from a year ago, but the January-October average was still 12% higher at $57.33. Exports accounted for 26% of total pork production in October and 23.2% for muscle cuts only, up from 24% and 20.9%, respectively, a year ago. Through October, exports accounted for 29.2% of total production and 26.5% for muscle cuts, each up significantly from the 2019 ratios of 26% and 22.6%. October beef exports were slightly ...