Pork Congress 2012 - Iowa Pork Producers Association

2011 U.S. pork exports top $6 billion
Exports of U.S. pork set an all-time record in 2011,
according to year-end statistics released by USDA
and compiled by the U.S. Meat Export Federation.
Pork exports totaled 2.255 million metric tons valued
at $6.11 billion, breaking the previous volume record
of 2.052 million metric tons and shattering the value
record of $4.88 billion, both set in 2008. Year-overyear,
pork exports were up 18 percent in volume and
28 percent in value.
While the record-breaking performance of 2011 is
impressive, USMEF President and CEO Philip Seng
feels strongly that USMEF and its industry partners
have laid the groundwork for even greater success in
the future.
“Demand for U.S. red meat has never been stronger,
and we are well-positioned to build on this success,”
he said. “We have the marketing tools in place
to showcase the quality and consistency of U.S.
products, which our industry is able to deliver at
a very competitive price and end users are able to
utilize in extremely creative and innovative ways.
Real opportunities exist for further growth, and
USMEF fully intends to capitalize on this strong
momentum.”
For the year, pork exports equated to 27.5 percent of
total production when including both muscle cuts
and variety meat. Export value per head slaughtered
was $55.55, an increase of 27 percent (nearly $12)
from a year ago.
In December, pork exports were down slightly from
November’s record performance but remained well
above the previous year’s pace. Exports increased
16 percent in volume (215,870 metric tons) and 32
percent in value ($582.6 million) from December
2010.
In addition to setting a global value record, Seng
noted that the U.S. industry achieved new heights in
its top two markets, Japan and Mexico.
Pork exports to Japan set new records for both
volume (493,313 metric tons) and value ($1.96
billion), respective increases of 13 percent and 19
percent over 2010. While slightly lower in volume
(537,535 metric tons) than last year,
Mexico became the first market other than Japan to
import more than $1 billion in U.S. pork in a single
year. Exports to Mexico jumped 6 percent in value
over 2010, reaching $1.04 billion.
Other pork export highlights
included several new records,
with a very strong year in the
Hong Kong/China region
pushing exports up 64 percent
in volume to 483,323 metric
tons and nearly doubling in
value to $910 million (and
surpassed 2008 records).
Exports to South Korea more
than doubled in volume to
188,307 metric tons and
increased 162 percent in value
to $497 million.
March 2012
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