USMEF: August pork exports above year-ago
August pork exports totaled 238,989 metric tons (mt), up 6% from a year ago but the second lowest of 2024. Export value increased 8% to $702.9 million. For January through August, pork exports were just under 2 million mt, up 4% from a year ago, while valued climbed 7% to $5.68 billion. Pork export value was on a record pace through August, and USMEF projects both export volume and value will reach record highs in 2024.
"Mexico was once again the pacesetter for U.S. pork, but demand throughout the Western Hemisphere was outstanding in August", said USMEF President and CEO Dan Halstrom. "Shipments to South America posted the highest value on record, while exports to Central America and the Caribbean also achieved strong growth. These markets are increasingly competitive, so it is essential that the U.S. industry defends its market share while also developing marketing efforts that help expand overall consumption".
Pork exports to leading market Mexico remain on a record pace, with August shipments up 4% from a year ago to 94,935 mt, while value climbed 9% to $230.6 million. For January through August, exports to Mexico were 8% above last year’s pace in volume (758,712 mt) and 14% higher in value ($1.68 billion).
Pork export value to South America reached a record high in August at $45.3 million, up 97% from a year ago. Export value to Colombia surged to a record $39.6 million, more than doubling from a year ago and up 16% from the previous high in November 2023. Export volume to the region climbed 83% to 14,961 mt, the highest in nine months, with Colombia reaching the second largest total on record at 13,341 mt. January-August exports to South America climbed 27% from a year ago in volume (89,341 mt) and 36% in value ($263.2 million).
Soaring demand in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Panama, as well as steady growth in leading markets Honduras and Guatemala, delivered another impressive month for U.S. pork in Central America. August exports to the region increased 31% from a year ago to 11,417 mt, valued at $36 million (up 38%). With January-August shipments trending higher year-over-year to all seven Central American markets, exports to the region increased 22% to 96,739 mt, while value climbed 32% to $302 million. Shipments to Costa Rica (12,464 mt) have already matched the full-year record volume achieved in 2023.
Other January-August results for U.S. pork exports include:
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