August 12, 2015
US pork export markets: Some gain, some lose
Overall, US pork exports in the second quarter rose 6% year-on-year, from being down as much as 15% in Q1 2015, according to AHDB (Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board) Pork of the UK.
Shipments to Mexico, the largest market for the US, were up 10% on the year, boosting its share of US pork exports to over a third.
Another winner was South Korea, with demand up by nearly half on the back of a depressed domestic production.
However, shipments to Japan, Canada and China were all down on the year with the US continuing to lose market share in China, with only a small number of plants approved for export.
Price has also been a factor in the overall improvement in US exports over the last three months, with AHDB Pork commenting that "prices had to fall in order for US pork to compete". Consequently, the total value of US pork exports in January to June 2015 fell 18% on the year with unit prices down 14%.